Express & Star

Wolves 2 Barnsley 1 – Report and pictures

Wolves produced an astonishing late finish to beat Barnsley 2-1 at Molineux.

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Super-sub Alfred N'Diaye was the hero with a stoppage time winner – just two minutes after Barnsley had equalised through Adam Jackson's strike.

Wolves had taken the lead on 80 minutes when N'Diaye, seconds after coming on, teed up Bright Enobakhare for a cute volley.

Up until then it had been a poor game with both sides only creating a couple of chances. But Wolves persevered and stayed second in the table as a result.

Analysis

Wolves have made an unhappy habit of freezing in front of big Molineux crowds in recent years.

But – and this is already becoming a oft-repeated cliché in itself just nine games into the league season – Wolves are a very different prospect these days, writes Tim Spiers at Molineux.

In front of main Fosun boss, chairman Guo Guangchang, they won their sixth game of the season. And no matter how many they win in 2017/18 there won't be a finish as dramatic as this.

It looked for all the world as if Nuno Espirito Santo's team would have to settle for a point after Adam Jackson's injury time equaliser.

Then Leo Bonatini, who had missed a great chance at 0-0, teed up super-sub Alfred N'Diaye to slam home in front of the South Bank and send Molineux absolutely potty.

As against Forest and as against Bristol Rovers, Wolves weren't at their best here. Far from it – and on another day Barnsley would have taken home all three points.

But as against Forest and as against Bristol Rovers, Wolves won the match. It sparked magnificent scenes in front of a bumper home crowd with even the normally restrained Nuno orchestrating the fans and pumping his fists in celebration of a wonderful moment.

Barnsley burst Walter Zenga's bubble almost a year ago. The Tykes demolished Zenga's Wolves 4-0 here and the Italian lasted only five more weeks in the job.

Wolves could have folded here. That they didn't is down to the attitudes Nuno has instilled into a team that looks increasingly equipped to challenge for promotion this season.

Match report

Nuno named an unchanged XI from the team that beat Forest 2-1 last weekend but the big news was the return of Helder Costa, who was named among the substitutes in his first involvement since suffering an ankle injury on April 1.

Barnsley, who lost 3-0 at home to Villa last weekend, named former Wolves winger Adam Hammill in their side, while five-goal top scorer Tom Bradshaw, formerly of Walsall, was up front.

Wolves, backed by a noisy and expectant home crowd, got into a rhythm early doors and created an early chance of note when Ivan Cavaleiro beat his man twice before crossing to the back stick where man of the moment Diogo Jota ballooned a header over the bar.

Barnsley grew into the game and created a couple or decent opportunities as Wolves struggled to grab hold of the game.

Bradshaw sent a free header too close to Ruddy, while Hammill was predictably lively on his return to Molineux and got his fair share of joy down that right flank.

The visitors were giving as much as they were getting, attacking in decent numbers at pace, with the Wolves performance going a little flat despite the big home crowd's efforts to rouse them.

Sluggish Wolves then had a let off with 30 minutes gone – Hammill's cross looked destined for Bradshaw's forehead before the striker appeared to get a push in the back from Danny Batth...but referee Jeremy Simpson waved away the penalty appeals.

There was a slight improvement before the half time whistle and Ruben Vinagre's cross created a decent opening for Cavaleiro who steered his right-footed shot achingly close to the bottom corner, but it veered inches wide.

And that was that for a drab opening 45 minutes in which Wolves were pedestrian, slow and lacking in vitality and creativity.

It was no surprise to see a change made at half time – on came Barry Douglas in place of Vinagre at left wing back – and the Scot almost made an immediate impact when his 12-yard effort was well saved by keeper Adam Davies.

An off-colour Jota, who did take a kick early on, wasn't himself. He met Romain Saiss' punt forward and cut inside before curling comfortably wide.

The game then started to open up. Batth was in the right place to block a Harvey Barnes shot and then at the other end Doherty forged two chances for Bonatini – a cross was met with a scuffed volley and then a great pass almost set the Brazilian free but he was denied by a timely sliding tackle.

Nuno sent for Bright Enobakhare, with Cavaleiro replaced. Doherty had become Wolves' creator-in-chief and his low cross was scuffed by Jota as the clock reached 70 minutes at an increasingly tense Molineux.

Then Jota came alive to create the chance of the game, sending a through ball into Bonatini's path but from 15 yards the Brazilian blazed into the side netting.

With the ball swinging from end to end it was anyone's guess as to who would break the deadlock.

And then a masterstroke from Nuno, who eschewed the chance to send on Costa with Alfred N'Diaye instead replacing Saiss, led to Wolves taking the lead.

Within seconds of coming on N'Diaye got to the right byline and swung over a perfect cross for his fellow substitute Enobakhare who beat Davies with a perfectly placed left-footed volley.

Molineux went potty and the delight from his team mates for Enobakhare was clear as he netted his second goal in five days, two years after his last strike.

Wolves looked to play out time but Barnsley scored a deserved equaliser to seemingly break Wolves hearts in the 91st minute. The old bugbear of failing to deal with set pieces cost Wolves as Jackson lashed one home.

But there was still time for a winner as that man N'Diaye turned in Bonatini's cross to secure a memorable win.

Key moments

30 – Shouts for a Barnsley penalty as Danny Batth appears to push Tom Bradshaw with the striker waiting for a cross. Not given.

40 – Inches wide from Ivan Cavaleiro who meets Ruben Vinagre's cross and puts a right-footed shot just past the post.

50 – Leo Bonatini feeds Barry Douglas whose shot forces a good save from Adam Davies.

72 – What a chance for Bonatini. Diogo Jota tees him up, playing through the ball line, but Bonatini blazes wide from 15 yards.

80 – GOAL – Alfred N'Diaye's cross is met by Bright Enobakhare who sends a guiding volley past Davies.

90 – GOAL – A corner isn't cleared and Adam Jackson lashes his shot into the roof of the net.

94 – GOAL – N'Diaye turns in Bonatini's cross to win it for Wolves.

Line ups

Wolves (3-4-3): John Ruddy; Batth (c), Coady, Miranda; Doherty, Neves, Saiss (N'Diaye, 80), Vinagre (Douglas, 45); Cavaleiro (Enobakhare, 64), Bonatini, Jota. Subs: Norris, Price, Marshall, Costa.

Goals: Enobakhare (80), N'Diaye (94)

Barnsley (4-1-4-1): Davies; McCarthy, Jackson, Lindsay, Pearson; Williams; Hammill, Moncur (McGeehan, 82), Potts (Ugbo, 82), Barnes (Hedges, 71); Bradshaw. Subs: Townsend, MacDonald, Pinnock, Thiam.

Goal: Jackson (90)

Attendance: 28,154

Referee: Jeremy Simpson (Lancashire)

League position

2nd (20 points from nine matches)