Sheff Wed 0 Wolves 0 - Report and pictures

Paul Lambert's team were denied a clear penalty in the first half when Matt Doherty appeared to have been fouled by Wednesday keeper Keiren Westwood.

Joe Mason produced one of the misses of the season when he cleared the bar from three yards, while Mason later hit the post and Doherty had a shot cleared off the line.

Wednesday had their chances too but this was a good performance from Lambert side, which included Connor Ronan on his full debut.

Analysis

So Wolves' 2017 began with the scoreline that unhappily defined a chunk of their 2016.

But there was no tedium, no boredom and no lack of excitement here, writes Tim Spiers at Hillsborough.

In fact on another day Wolves would have comfortably won this. Indeed, they should have comfortably won it.

They were denied as clear a penalty as you're likely to see thanks to some astonishingly incompetent refereeing (not for the first time this season).

They also produced a miss, via Joe Mason, that will struggled to be topped all year, even if it is only January 2.

Mason later hit a post and Matt Doherty, the victim of goalkeeper Keiren Westwood's challenge for the penalty that never was, saw a shot cleared off the line.

Wednesday had their opportunities too, but Wolves edged this and surely no one from the home team would have complained had Paul Lambert's team taken all three points.

They even finished the game with three recognised strikers on the field in Mason, Jon Dadi Bodvarsson and Nouha Dicko.

There were many positives here, not least a thoroughly impressive full debut from teenager Connor Ronan.

Wolves defended, as they've tended to away from home of late, with discipline and organisation, while Jack Price was his usual tidy self in midfield.

And positives in performances will surely be the order of the day in the coming months.

Wolves look to have too much about them to get sucked into a relegation scrap, but it's an almost impossible ask to expect a push towards the top six.

It's about building for the future, and there were some good foundations laid here.

Lambert made three changes from the team that lost 2-1 to QPR 48 hours earlier.

Young Irish midfielder was handed his full debut on the left of a midfield three, with Wolves switching from 4-2-3-1 to 4-3-3.

Ivan Cavaleiro, Nouha Dicko and Bright Enobakhare dropped to the bench, with Joe Mason and Jon Dadi Bodvarsson also coming in.

It was an even first few minutes but then Wednesday twice went close to taking the lead, with Ikeme producing an outstanding save from Vincent Sasso and then a necessary one from Fernando Forestieri after he spilled the ball.

Wolves began playing their way into the game with debutant Ronan coming more and more into it.

A clever reverse pass almost played David Edwards in behind the Wednesday defence and he grew in confidence, taking his man on and looking to link with fellow Irishman Matt Doherty on the overlap.

It was Ronan's deep free kick from the left that led to one of the most perplexing refereeing decisions of the season five minutes before half time.

The ball reached Doherty - keeper Keiran Westwood dived at his feet with the ball gone and took him clean out...but referee Simon Hooper incredibly said it's not a penalty. Every Wolves player and the entire bench were up in arms and Lambert continued his protests at half time.

Then just two minutes later Wolves had the perfect opportunity to forget all about that and take the lead.

Conor Coady cross was flicked on by Edwards - it hit Bodvarsson and looped onto the bar. The ball dropped to Joe Mason, three yards out, and he somehow scooped a half volley over the bar.

If Hooper's decision was the worst of the season, then this was the miss of the season. Or of any season.

Wolves ended the first half on top - and they began the second half in the ascendancy too.

Mason must have been recalling whether he'd driven over a black cat when his 15 yard shot bounced back off the post. Jack Price then curled a shot over and Ronan's low cross was waiting for an Edwards tap in before a Wednesday defender cleared.

The hosts, sixth in the table, weren't happy. Carlos Carvalhal had sent on Ross Wallace at half time and just a few minutes into the second period on came big striker Lucas Joao.

But Wolves continued to look the more threatening.

And when Doherty had a shot cleared off the line - after good work by Ronan, Edwards and Costa in the build-up before a cross broke for the full back - you got the feeling it wasn't going to be Wolves' day.

Wednesday then enjoyed their best spell of the game, but some last-ditch heroics from Batth, Stearman and Jack Price kept them at bay, while a couple of shots dropped just wide.

Far from being deterred, Lambert went for broke. Ronan, whose impressive debut was full in intelligent movement and passing, was replaced by Nouha Dicko with 20 minutes to go as Wolves went 4-4-2 with Ivan Cavaleiro (on for Costa) on the left and Mason the right.

It looked set for a grandstand finish - but the game petered out until a frantic three minutes of stoppage time in which both teams made crucial clearances inside their own box.

Key moments

8 - Barry Bannan's free kick from the left is met by Vincent Sasso - his header looks in but Carl Ikeme, at full stretch, produces an outstanding diving save to push wide.

19 - Steven Fletcher's weak shot is spilled by Ikeme who gets up well to block Fernando Forestieri's rebound

40 - A deep Connor Ronan free kick reaches Matt Doherty - keeper Keiran Westwood dives at his feet with the ball gone and takes him clean out...but referee Simon Hooper incredibly says it's not a penalty. Every Wolves player and the entire bench are livid.

42 - A Conor Coady cross is flicked on by David Edwards - it hits Jon Dadi Bodvarsson and loops onto the bar. The ball drops to Joe Mason, three yards out, and he somehow scoops a half volley over the bar. It's the miss of the season.

48 - The ball breaks for Mason in the box - he shoots from 15 yards and it cannons off the post and to safety. Jack Price then curls a decent effort off target from long range.

60 - Ronan is taken clean out by Hutchinson (who is later booked) but plays continues and Edwards and Costa combine before the latter's cross falls for Doherty - he shoots goalwards and it's cleared off the line.

Teams

Sheffield Wednesday (4-4-2): Westwood; Hunt, Sasso, Lees (c), Reach; McManaman (Joao, 52), Lee (Wallace, 45), Lees (c), Bannan; Forestieri, Fletcher (Jones, 76). Subs: Wildsmith, Palmer, Pudil, Nuhiu.

Wolves (4-3-3): Ikeme; Coady, Batth, Stearman, Doherty; Price, Edwards; Costa (Cavaleiro, 61), Mason, Ronan (Dicko, 68); Bodvarsson. Subs: Burgoyne, Iorfa, Hause, Saville.

Attendance: 30,549

Referee: Simon Hooper (Wiltshire)

Position in the table

16th (29 points from 25 matches)