Morecambe 1 Wolves 0 - match analysis and pictures
[gallery] Two games, no goals but some hope. On a day when Wolves lost one of their greats, one of their youngest teams for many years gave a glimpse of a brighter future, despite defeat.
Like so many of their predecessors since Dave Wagstaffe graced Wembley in the 1974 final, they came unstuck in the League Cup against lower-league opposition.
Morecambe repeated their win over Wolves in the same competition six years ago, only this time it wasn't at Molineux and they didn't need extra-time.
But in a side of average age of 21 years, 332 days – just 68 days older than 'Waggy' when he made his Wolves debut – it's hard to criticise a team which in football terms is still learning to crawl.
Robbed of six players who started Saturday's 0-0 draw at Preston, Wolves took the field with a side which only a few months ago would have been an under-21 team, with everyone under 22 bar keeper Carl Ikeme, 27, and 28-year-old 'veteran' Kevin Foley.
It was a side crying out for experience and some knowhow. But Wolves are in the middle of a heavy rebuilding process and evenings like last night are an unfortunate consequence of a club literally trying to find its feet again.
In a plus for their academy, nine of the starting line-up – and 14 of the 18-man squad – had come through the development side or youth team.
Defensively, they looked solid again, despite the loss of their two most experienced players in the back line, Richard Stearman and Sam Ricketts, through injury and illness respectively.
Ryan Williams' superbly-struck free-kick six minutes from time proved to be the difference in a pulsating tie as Matt Doherty hit the post in the first half and Leigh Griffiths and Zeli Ismail were denied by post and bar soon after the restart.
Griffiths was the biggest guilty party – he and Wolves will know the result would surely have been different had his header gone in instead of hitting the post from point-blank range six minutes after the break.
In a similar pattern to Saturday, Wolves fared better in the first half before fading after the restart, although their two best chances came early in the second period.
But there was danger after just 30 seconds as Morecambe player-coach Stewart Drummond tested Ikeme from 25 yards, the Wolves keeper smothering well.
Griffiths wasted a chance when Anthony Forde's chip fell to him in the area in the 11th minute.
The ball came on his unfavoured right foot and the Scotland international opted to cross to Jake Cassidy rather than shoot and the opportunity was lost.
Forde enjoyed a lively first half and had his first sight of goal on 22 minutes when he cut in from the left only to curl a shot off target.
After David Davis picked up his second booking in as many games five minutes before the break, it was Morecambe's turn to threaten again and Williams saw a low drive deflected off the legs of Batth.
After teeing up Griffiths' chance of glory, Ismail also struck the woodwork when his curling left-foot shot hit the bar and went over.
Soon after, Williams served a warning of what was to follow with a free-kick that bounced up viciously to come off Ikeme and be stabbed clear for a corner by debutant Ethan Ebanks-Landell.
Griffiths floated a free-kick over the angle after Kevin Doyle, who came on for Cassidy in the 57th minute, was tripped.
Doyle injected some much-needed experience and class with his hold-up play and reliable use of the ball.
But there was again a lack of cutting edge about Wolves which was ultimately ruthlessly punished.
The impetus seemed to be slipping away from Wolves although Forde saw a shot spilled by keeper Barry Roche diving to his left.
Jack Sampson headed straight at Ikeme from Tony Diagne's centre eight minutes from time.
Then came the vital goal, after Doherty tripped Fleming to earn a booking. Up stepped Williams to curl a beauty into the top corner, giving Ikeme no chance.
By Tim Nash