Crewe 2 Wolves 3 - Checkatrade Trophy report and pictures

Dicko put Wolves 2-0 with two excellent strikes, both assisted by Jed Wallace, writes Tim Spiers at Gresty Road.

Crewe galvanised themselves in the second half and drew level, with their first coming from an Andy Lonergan howler.

But Lonergan redeemed himself with some great saves, then Enobakhare tapped home in the 88th minutes before Lonergan pulled off world-class double save in the 96th minute to give Wolves the win.

Analysis

There's a lot to dislike about this competition.

Only 60 Wolves fans were at Gresty Road in a crowd of fewer than 1,000, the competition has earned derision from a host of lower league managers and the fact Wolves' best two players here were aged 24 (Nouha Dicko) and 22 (Jed Wallace) seems to defeat the object of a competition designed to develop under-21 players.

But for the last 20 minutes of this end-to-end encounter, all that was forgotten.

What a spectacle this was. All gripes were put to one side as Crewe and Wolves threw everything at each other to win the game.

The hosts had come from 2-0 down and had all the momentum, but Wolves took advantage of a late howler to edge back in front and steal the points.

Andy Lonergan will struggle to have a more productive 20 minutes in goal. He too had made a howler to allow Crewe to pull a goal back, but he more than redeemed himself with some almost unbelievable saves, particular the double wonder-stop he produced in the very last minute, reminiscent of Jerzy Dudek in the 2005 Champions League final.

After producing such a spirited performance in losing 2-1 at Chesterfield in their last game, it's clear Wolves are taking this competition seriously.

They fielded five senior players here and, with victory over Accrington Stanley in the final Group B fixture at Molineux they'll progress to the knockout stages.

And you can see why the Checkatrade Trophy benefits Wolves - their youngsters are given invaluable competition experience, and they can also field seniors who need minutes on the pitch.

One of those - Nouha Dicko - was the biggest positive of the night, scoring two wonderful goals (an 18-yard half volley and a close-range backheel), both assisted by Wallace who also played very well.

Whether the competition is worth pursuing or not, it looks like Wolves want to pursue a run in it.

Key moments

7 - GOAL - Jed Wallace lobs over the top of the Crewe defence, Nouha Dicko latches onto it and hammers a scorching half-volley into the roof of the net from 20 yards.

12 - Wallace plays a one-two with Dicko and looks for Bright Enobakhare with a low cross, but it's cut out in the nick of time.

22 - Chris Dagnall should pull a goal back for Crewe. He's unmarked on the penalty spot but shoots straight at his team mate.

26 - And now Callum Ainley is all alone at the back post but fires wide when it looked easier to score.

37 - Silvio finds Wallace whose cut-back reaches Enobakhare but he can't quite get a shot away.

38 - Wallace dinks over the top for Sylvain Deslandes who has beaten the offside trap - he's in the box on the left but with no team mate joining him he lashes across goal and wide.

45 - GOAL - Wallace's 20-yard free kick is tipped over. The winger takes the resulting inswinging corner, from which Dicko cheekily backheels past the keeper from six yards with a class finish.

58 - Enobakhare goes on a barnstorming run, driving into the box from left to right and then hitting the post from 15 yards. Wonderful effort.

68 - GOAL - Andy Lonergan has a shocker. He mis-controls and then slips as Dagnall nips it and fires into the empty net.

79 - Lonergan redeems himself with a brilliant save to deny Dagnall's header.

82 - GOAL - It's been all Crewe and they duly draw level. Lonergan saves as Dagnall moves in on goal - the ball then comes back into the box and Ryan Lowe steers into the net.

86 - Lonergan again. Great save to keep out Lowe's header.

88 - GOAL - What a finish to the game it's been and Enobakhare swings it back in Wolves favour. He steals in as keeper Garratt and his defender get in a proper mix-up, and then taps into the net.

94 - Crewe have the ball in the net in the dying seconds but a header from a left-wing cross is ruled out for offside.

96 - Lonergan pulls off a quite breathtaking stunning save right at the death! Dagnall's header somehow kept out and then the rebound is blocked too. Magnificent goalkeeping.

Teams

Crewe (4-4-2): Garratt; Turton, Guthrie, Ray, Bakayogo; Bingham, Wintle (Lowery, 78), Cooper, Ainley (Kirk, 61); Dagnall, Udoh (Lowe, 69). Subs: Richards, Hollands, Ng, Finney.

Goal: Dagnall (68), Lowe (78)

Wolves (4-2-3-1): Lonergan; Silvio, Leak, Johnson, Deslandes; Finnie (McKenna, 87), Saville; Wallace, Enobakhare, Randall (Breslin, 61); Dicko (Wilson, 78). Subs: Burgoyne, Upton, Simpson, Carnat.

Goals: Dicko (7, 45), Enobakhare (88)

Attendance: 963 (60 Wolves fans)