Express & Star

Wolves 1 Burton 1 - Report and pictures

[gallery] There's a revolution underway at Wolves...but no one ever said Rome was built in a day.

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That certainly looked the case at Molineux today,

writes Wolves correspondent Tim Spiers

, after they were held to a draw by newly-promoted Burton Albion.

The visitors snatched a dramatic point in the 94th minute but in truth Wolves, on the balance of play, were fortunate to be ahead at that point.

Their many new signings - three were handed their debuts here, plus the returning Richard Stearman who was given a hero's reception - didn't click as the Molineux masses hope they will in the coming weeks and months.

The things Zenga has taken no time at all to instill - tenacity, team spirit and passion - were certainly evident after they huffed and puffed and finally broke the deadline through Prince Oniangue on 77 minutes.

But defensive fragility was on show throughout the game and it was no surprise when Burton had the final say.

Record signing Ivan Cavaleiro, striker Paul Gladon and Manchester United loanee Cameron Borthwick-Jackson all made their debuts for the club, while Oniangue and Helder Costa started their first league games in gold and black.

The whole front six from Huddersfield all changed, with Conor Coady moving into midfield, and there was no place in the squad for the likes of Kortney Hause, George Saville and Ola John, while another new signing Romain Saiss was also missing.

It was a fairly tepid start to the game, but Wolves had the ball in the net early on when debutant Gladon tapped in after Burton keeper Jon McLaughlin dropped a cross - but referee James Adcock ruled it out for a foul.

It certainly wasn't the last controversial decision the referee made of the first half, and indeed he was centre stage for most of it.

After 20 minutes he awarded the visitors - who had done most of the early attacking - a spot kick, seemingly for handball against Stearman following a corner.

Lucas Akins stepped up but Carl Ikeme - who moments earlier had fooled Jamie Ward with a cheeky Cruyff turn in his own six-yard box - saved low down to his right.

It was the third penalty at Molineux this season - and the third which hadn't been converted.

The visitors were getting the majority of 50/50 decisions and Zenga was failing miserably to keep his emotions in check, with the livid Wolves boss angrily gesticulating at the referee and the fourth official.

Burton continued to pepper the Wolves goal, with Chris O'Grady inches away from connecting with a Lloyd Dyer cross-shot.

Wolves gradually began to find their feet, with Joao Teixeira shooting low from 18 yards, Stearman glancing a deflected header just over and Cavaleiro seeing a curling effort saved.

But the visitors ended the half on top with a couple more efforts from range in what was a disjointed half for Zenga's new-look team.

Zenga stuck with the same team for the second half and there was a marginal improvement after the break, although Burton's stubborn and well-organised back line were proving a tough nut to crack.

The visitors then went close again when Jackson Irvine headed just over, while Wolves were still failing to force McLaughlin into action at the other end.

Zenga sent on Joe Mason just past the hour mark and changed the system to 4-4-1-1, with Costa and Cavaleiro on either flank, but other than a couple of blocked shots they made no headway.

Jon Dadi Bodvarsson was the next to be thrown on - a very popular change judging by the reaction from the South Bank.

And the big Icelandic striker had a chance within seconds as Borthwick-Jackson swung over a superb cross, but he couldn't quite connect properly with his free header from six yards.

Wolves were finally building up a head of steam and they went close twice in a minute.

Cavaleiro drilled right across the face of goal - it missed a host of players and Lloyd Dyer did brilliantly to slide it behind ahead of Costa. From the resulting corner the ball dropped to Mason and he arrowed one just past the post.

Back came the impressive visitors through substitute Hamza Choudhury who wasn't far wide with an 18-yard shot.

It was looking like it wouldn't be Wolves' day - and then up popped their new Prince to break the deadlock.

It was an emphatic finish from the Congo midfielder, crashing home a left-footed half volley from close range, and Molineux went absolutely berserk with Zenga even running halfway down the touchline.

It could have been 2-0 soon after but Mason was denied by an outstanding block in the six-yard box.

A tempestuous encounter was cranked up another notch when Coady was booked for diving after going down too easily in the box - Wolves' second booking for diving after Costa was yellow carded earlier.

Zenga was absolutely livid and began shushing the Burton keeper McLaughlin, who gave him some back for good measure.

After a feisty 90 minutes the fourth official added on a further six - and Burton took full advantage to score a deserved equaliser.

They pinned Wolves back into their own box and eventually their pressure yielded a goal with substitute Will Miller scoring from close range.

The timing may have been harsh on Wolves, but the result certainly wasn't.

Wolves (4-3-3): Ikeme; Doherty, Batth (c), Stearman, Borthwick-Jackson; Oniangue, Coady, Teixeira (Mason, 61); Costa, Gladon (Bodvarsson, 71), Cavaleiro (Edwards, 84). Subs: Lonergan, Iorfa, Price, Wallace.

Goal: Oniangue (77)

Burton (3-5-2): McLaughlin; Turner, McFadzean (c), Brayford; Akins (Choudhury, 71), Naylor (Harness, 86), Palmer, Irvine, Dyer; O'Grady, Ward (Miller, 77). Subs: Bywater, McCrory, Williamson, Beavon.

Goal: Miller (90+4)

Attendance: 22,049 (1,036 Wolves fans)

Referee: James Adcock (Nottinghamshire)

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