Cork City 1 Wolves 2 - Report and pictures

After Benik Afobe was sold in that month, Wolves looked to bring in two strikers, signing Joe Mason but falling short in their pursuit of a second.

For a variety of reasons no one has been brought in since, and all of a sudden Mason in the only available senior striker.

Well how's your sense of timing, Niall Ennis and Bright Enobakhare? The pair scored Wolves' two goals here, and staked a claim to be involved versus Rotherham on August 6.

In these teenagers Kenny Jackett clearly possesses two precocious talents. Unpolished gems of course, at their age, but gems nonetheless.

After Mason's well-taken strike at Crewe on Friday, Ennis and Enobakhare both tucked away smart finishes from close range. An underrated skill, Wolves fans who endured the goal-shy final months of 2015/16 will tell you.

On a largely uninspiring evening, with a barely recognisable Wolves XI taking on a Cork reserve side, those goals, and some bright performances from others, warmed the heart.

The attitude of the youngsters was excellent and they played some decent football.

But quite how productive this exercise will prove in the long run remains to be seen.

Wolves remain a club in limbo, and while Ennis, Enobakhare and others may be on the verge of a career breakthrough, they may also be on the verge of being sixth and seventh choices behind a batch of big-money new signings.

For their immediate Championship prospects, you expect most Wolves fans will hope it's the latter.

But there is no doubting the talents of those two, and a few others on show in an outfield XI whose average age of just 19.6.

On a beautiful summer's evening in sunny Cork it was no surprise to see a team sheet full of youngsters.

Ennis, right-back Hakeem Odoffin, centre half Connor Johnson and left-back Ben O'Hanlon made their first-team debuts for Wolves, albeit at friendly level, while Andy Lonergan started his first game in Wolves colours.

And the Wolves pups - and in particular Ennis - got off to the perfect start just four minutes in.

Bright Enobakhare showed great composure to see off the challenge of a defender and slide inside for Ennis who slammed home from close range.

The young starlet, who was courted by Manchester Unietd and Chelsea last summer, celebrated ecstatically in what Wolves hope will be the first of many goals for the club.

Wolves' quality was showing early on and they went close when Lee Evans curled a 20-yard free kick wide.

Enobakhare embarked on a slalom run into the area and was blocked by the keeper, before Evans dragged a shot wide.

Conor Coady unleashed a piledriver that keeper Matthew Connor had to parry wide, while at the other end Andy Lonergan had only one save to make of note, although O'Hanlon was perhaps fortunate not to give away a penalty with a strong tackle on Karl Sheppard.

Wolves were certainly the better side, with captain for the night Coady their driving force, constantly barking instructions to his young team mates.

Connor Ronan showed some lovely touches on the left, while Aaron Hayden was composed at the back and Ennis and Enobakhare linked up well at times.

Donovan Wilson replaced Ennis - who was perhaps being protected after only recently returning from a fractured fibula - at half time, while Carl Ikeme came on for Lonergan.

In front of a small and quiet crowd, Hayden went close early in the second half when he glanced Nathan Byrne's cross wide.

Cork twice went close at the other end but Wolves exerted their authority just past the hour mark when Enobakhare doubled their lead.

O'Hanlon whipped over a pinpoint cross from the left and Nigerian striker Enobakhare headed down and past keeper Connor from close range.

Ryan Leak replaced Odoffin for the final 17 minutes, with the rest of the senior squad watching on in the stands.

Cork pulled a goal back through Cian Coleman, a reward for their efforts, but Wolves deservedly claimed their second pre-season victory in four days.

Wolves (4-4-2): Lonergan (Ikeme, 45); Odoffin (Leak, 73), Hayden, Johnson, O'Hanlon; Byrne, Coady, Evans, Ronan; Ennis (Wilson, 45), Enobakhare.