Sheff Wed 0 Wolves 1 - Report and pictures
Wolves put a run of five successive defeats behind them to secure a hard-fought win against Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship.
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A goal from former Owl Leon Clarke in the 85th minute – just 30 seconds after he had replaced Danny Graham – secured all three points for Kenny Jackett's men.
The striker tapped home after a wonderful Kevin McDonald cross, following a game where Wolves were poor in the first-half but much improved after the break.
Boss Jackett made one enforced change to the side that slipped to the 2-1 defeat away at home to Bournemouth.
Teenager Kortney Hause came in at left-back for his full Wolves debut, in place of the suspended Matt Doherty.
And the 19-year-old almost instantly had a debut to forget when, inside the first 20 seconds, Chris Maguire tricked his way past him and sent in a cross which found Tom Lee's in the box.
With the Hillsborough faithful screaming for him to shoot, Lee's looked to play the ball across the six-yard box to Atdhe Nuhiu but Batth was on hand to block.
Minutes later though and Wednesday again should have taken the lead.
The lively Stevie May pinched the ball off Richard Stearman and ran clean through on goal.
The forward looked to take it round Carl Ikeme but the 'keeper forced him wide allowing Stearman to get back and clear his low effort off the line.
Wolves were looking very much a side short of confidence, but they finally sprung to life in the 12th minute when Van La Parra chased a loose ball.
The forward cut it back towards Danny Graham but the ball was hooked clear on the edge of the Owls six-yard box.
But it was Stuart Gray's side who were dominating proceedings and, following a succession of corners, Glenn Loovens headed narrowly wide.
Wednesday continued to come forward in numbers and a wonderful Royston Drenthe through-ball sent May in on goal.
With the frontman set to open the scoring, Dominic Iorfa got back brilliantly to muscle him off the ball allowing Ikeme to claim.
Wolves were offering very little in terms of an attacking threat but just before the break Jackett's side had their best chance of half.
James Henry carried the ball towards the Owls box before finding Iorfa who took a touch and squared to the in-space Danny Graham who fired agonisingly wide eight-yards out.
Undeterred, Wednesday broke immediately with a long ball sending May bearing down on the goal only to fire inches wide of the target.
Wolves began the second half kicking towards the away supporters and with the boss clearly ringing in their ears should have immediately gone ahead.
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Kevin McDonald carried the ball from his own half to the edge of the box and fired a low strike which Keiren Westwood parried straight to the feet of Van La Parra.
With the goal at his mercy the frontman had time to steady himself but instead fired horribly wide to miss what was an absolute sitter.
Buoyed Wolves came forward again on 47 minutes when a deft touch from Graham sent Van La Parra bursting into the area but Westwood rushed out to save.
Seeming rattled, Wednesday looked to play themselves back into the game and May charged into the box only to see his effort comfortably crowded out by the Wolves back line.
At the other end Van La Parra dinked the ball into the net after being found by Bakary Sako but the linesman had his flag up for offside.
With Sako starting to become more influential, the Mali international showed all his trickery and power to burst into the box and hit a low shot that was crowded out.
But with 10 minutes remaining it was the Owls who again should have taken the lead. Some nice vision from Drenthe allowed Lewis McGugan to centre for Tom Lee but the midfielder flicked wide.
The home side were continuing to press and Drenthe did brilliantly to work some space on the edge of the box and hit a curling effort which sailed narrowly wide.
But with five minutes remaining Wolves got the goal to snatch three precious Championship points.
Jackett made his first substitution bringing on Leon Clarke for Danny Graham and within 30 seconds the former Wednesday striker had scored.
McDonald did brilliantly to take the ball wide left and swing in an inch perfect cross which the unmarked striker was on hand to tap home to send the Wolves faithful delirious.
Wednesday pressed for an equaliser in the dying stages with Maguire fizzing a free-kick just wide, but Wolves held on for a vital victory.
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