Brentford 0 Wolves 0 – Report and pictures

Wolves were held to a goalless draw by rock-bottom Brentford in an entertaining clash.

Both sides missed good chances in the first half with Leo Bonatini spurning a one-on-one and Brentford's Jota hitting a post.

Wolves were grateful when Neal Maupay missed from six yards and were then denied by home keeper Daniel Bentley who saved from the impressive Diogo Jota.

The two sides both searched for a winner but to no avail.

Analysis

Jeff Shi and Laurie Dalrymple frequented a local pub before kick off to get a few rounds in for Wolves' travelling barmy army.

Perhaps they knew what was coming, because the the fans needed a couple of beers to get through an incredibly nervy final few minutes at an enthralled Griffin Park, writes Tim Spiers.

This was a tight, tense affair which both sides will feel they should have won.

Wolves were far from at their best but could have nicked it with Diogo Jota, Leo Bonatini and Ivan Cavaleiro all wasting decent opportunities.

But they were also grateful for Brentford's profligacy. Their Spanish forward Jota hit a post and striker Neal Maupay scuffed a six-yarder, while both sides could have won it late on.

All in all a draw was probably a fair result. And make no mistake, despite their lowly league position the Bees are a decent outfit who put Wolves under pressure and fought tooth and nail for every tackle and loose ball.

Indeed Wolves showed good resilience in the closing stages when it was they who were doing the majority of the defending, chiefly through the increasingly impressive Conor Coady who held it all together at the back.

It wasn't the result Wolves came for, but in nine months' time this may look like a decent point.

Match report

On a warm London afternoon Nuno made one change from the team that lost 2-1 at home to Cardiff last weekend, with Ruben Vinagre coming on for Barry Douglas who was struggling with a knock towards the end of that game.

Brentford starting the game at the bottom of the Championship but their position was fooling no one and the fired-up hosts were the better team in the early stages, taking the fight to Wolves and winning more tackles and second balls.

Nico Yennaris whistled one over the bar, Walsall old boy Romaine Sawyers forced an excellent save from Ruddy with a 20-yard piledriver and Ollie Watkins drilled narrowly wide as the Bees buzzed around Wolves.

But Nuno's team weathered the early storm and began to play some nice stuff with Diogo Jota at the heart of most of it.

He and Leo Bonatini, who was expertly linking the play, were combining to good effect, never more so than when the Portuguese man sent Bonatini clean through but he didn't get enough on his shot and Daniel Bentley made the save.

That was the chance of the half for Wolves but they had a few other good moments, with Jota curling a 20-yarder wide and Vinagre showing plenty of attacking intent on the overlap including when he drilled at Bentley from a narrow angle.

It was Brentford who shaded the first 45 though and they should have taken the lead six minutes before the break when their Jota hit the post from just 15 yards after the ball broke for him from a blocked shot.

Wolves' passing fluency was lacking from midfield as they struggled to play their natural game on a tight pitch against motivated opposition, who were all over the visitors like a overeager dog chasing his master's leg.

Ivan Cavaleiro came on at the break for Bright Enobakhare, who had endured a poor half after taking a knock early on.

The change didn't improve Wolves' fortunes though and Brentford again spurned a golden chance to take the lead, this time through Neal Maupay who horribly scuffed a six-yard volley.

When Nuno's team did win it back they weren't moving the ball quickly enough, and were struggling to find space on a tight pitch, with Romain Saiss often overrun in midfield.

Diogo Jota was by far their best outlet for a bit of magic and he embarked on another mazy run from deep before firing wide on the hour mark.

Their move of the match came not long after. Coady intercepted and set Cavaleiro off in Brentford's half – majestically picked out Vinagre on the left who got to the byline and crossed to the back stick where Cavaleiro headed into the side netting.

Wolves were improving all the time, with Cavaleiro enjoying a productive half. Then Jota should have put Wolves ahead after Neves played him in, but shot too close to Bentley from 15 yards.

With 15 minutes to go you couldn't call it. Sawyers sent a snap-shot over the bar and then Nuno sent on Nouha Dicko for Bonatini.

Jack Price also entered the fray in place of Neves but Wolves couldn't get the breakthrough they wanted. Apart from a Doherty shot which he crashed over the bar it was Nuno's side who were on the back foot for the closing stages, with Brentford forcing a couple of corners.

Then in stoppage time Dicko just couldn't connect with Jota's pull back and then Doherty and Coady saved Wolves in quick succession with last-ditch interceptions before Miranda criminally delayed his pass to Dicko as Wolves broke three-on-one in the last action of the game, with the striker flagged offside in what was a frantic finale to an entertaining goalless draw.

Key moments

11 – Sawyers aims a 25-yard thunderbolt towards goal and Ruddy pulls off a stunning save

30 – Diogo Jota plays a sumptuous through ball for Bonatini who's in...but can't lift his shot over the keeper.

39 – A blocked shot falls to Brentford man Jota who should score from 15 yards but hits the post.

53 – Maupay with a great opportunity as he scuffs his six-yard volley and it dribbles wide.

75 – Neves plays in Jota who breaks free in the box and shoots low and at Bentley when he had to bury it. Big chance.

Line ups

Brentford (4-2-3-1): Bentley; Dalsgaard, Dean, Barnet, Colin; Yennaris, Mokotjo (Woods, 65), Jota (Jozefzoon, 65), Sawyers, Watkins; Maupay. Subs: Daniels, Bjelland, Egans, Clarke, Canos.

Wolves (3-4-3): John Ruddy; Miranda, Coady (c), Boly; Doherty, Neves (Price, 85), Saiss, Vinagre; Enobakhare (Cavaleiro, 45), Bonatini (Dicko, 78), Jota. Subs: Norris, Bennett, Batth, Ronan.

Referee: Tim Robinson (West Sussex)