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Wolves 0 Brentford 2 - Report and pictures

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An increasingly maddening season, consistent only in its inconsistency, remained true to form at Molineux last night.[gallery]

moreBut this time Wolves plumbed new depths with a dreadful, insipid performance in front of their own supporters, who loudly booed them off at half and full time. Brentford, despite an improved second half display from Kenny Jackett's team, were full value for their victory, which on another night would have been by a greater margin.

Marco Djuricin gave the Bees an early lead and substitute Phillip Hofmann bookended the game with a late second. In between you couldn't even say Wolves huffed and puffed in the first half, such was their alarmingly subdued nature.

In the second they at least put pressure on the home defence but, a golden and spurned Benik Afobe chance aside, offered precious little as the team made a mockery of Jackett's pre-match assertion that they would bounce back from Sunday's defeat at Derby.

Jack Price and Jed Wallace were dropped as Jackett made two changes from the side that went down 4-2 at Derby.

Conor Coady returned to the first XI after a five-game absence, while Sheyi Ojo came back into the team on the left wing.

Jackett was looking for a reaction after the comfortable Derby defeat, but he certainly didn't get it in an appalling first half from a Wolves point of view.

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Brentford, now under the stewardship of Lee Carsley, belied their lowly league position with some incisive attacking play which put the hosts on the back foot almost from the outset.

Alan Judge was given room to fire a decent effort at goal which Kortney Hause blocked full in the face, before the same Brentford player's 20-yard free kick was deflected marginally over Emiliano Martinez's crossbar.

Philipp Hofmann of Brentford celebrates after scoring a goal to make it 0-2 with Sergi Canos

Playmaker Judge was giving Wolves what seemed like a life sentence of creativity from the left flank and his low cross was met by Djuricin, who luckily for the home team scuffed a close range shot.

The defensive errors that have littered Wolves' season continued, with distribution at the back plumbing to new depths as Jackett's team struggled to get out of first gear.

Benik Afobe gave some respite with a lively sprint towards the Brentford box before he was taken out, with James Henry's free kick blocked.

It was no surprise at all when Brentford took the lead in the 17th minute, and even less of a surprise that Judge created it.

His chip into the box was met by Djuricin whose clever volley on the turn deflected off Danny Batth and past a helpless Martinez.

Wolves tried to respond but over-hit, under-hit and misplaced passes were commonplace, with thesparse and quiet home crowd soon losing patience.

Coady put Batth in trouble with a weak header, forcing the captain to concede a corner, before the captain and Hause combined to block another dangerous Djuricin effort.

Benik Afobe of Wolverhampton Wanderers

Kevin McDonald and Ojo saw shots deflected and saved with Wolves marginally improving as the half wore on, but it was no surprise when the players trudged off to loud boos when referee Paul Tierney ended the first period.

It was arguably the worst half of the season so far and the supporters were well within their rights to berate the lacklustre players.

Jackett no doubt vented his spleen during the break but, with the start of second half seeing more of the same, he made a double change shortly after Judge and Coady had exchanged tame shots on goal.

On came Rajiv van La Parra for a rare appearance, while Price also entered the fray.

Henry and Ojo departed as Jackett plumped for a flat 4-4-3 formation, Afobe and the Dutch winger out wide.

Dominic Iorfa tried to set the tempo with a run down the right and was taken clean out near the byline, earning James Tarkowski a deserved booking.

That raised the noise level inside a despondent Molineux and Wolves embarked on a spell of pressure, Iorfa at the heart by stretching Brentford down the right flank.

Crosses from him and Le Fondre went unrewarded, and then Iorfa foolishly earned his fifth booking of the season for a late tackle on Tarkowski, the reversal of a challenge just minutes earlier, meaning the young right back will be suspended for Saturday's visit of Middlesbrough.

Martinez had Wolves fans' hearts in their mouths when he fumbled a deflected Djuricin shot, claiming at the second attempt.

Brentford were nowhere near as probing at this point, settling for sitting back and trying to hit Wolves on the counter.

And Wolves were largely in the ascendancy, but unable to transform their higher possession into shots, or any real chances of note, in front of the second lowest league crowd of the season (by one solitary person) in 18,167.

Conor Coady of Wolverhampton Wanderers looks dejected at full time

Then with 15 minutes left came the chance Wolves so craved - Le Fondre's effort deflected perfectly to Afobe, eight yards out with the goal at his mercy, but he sliced over the bar.

Le Fondre then just failed to turn Golbourne's cross past Button as the chances - and the frustration - continued for Wolves.

Matt Doherty replaced the limping Iorfa as Jackett was forced to make his final change with 12 minutes left. The Irishman did well to win a corner with time running out, but Batth's header from McDonald's floater comfortably cleared the bar.

Van La Parra then sent a 25-yarder over the top, with Wolves again failing to test keeper Button, who was having a quiet evening.

And he remained untroubled for the remainder of the game, with Wolves' attempted comeback halted by Brentford's second goal two minutes from time.

Substitute Phillip Hofmann, who moments earlier was denied by Martinez when through on goal, got it right second time around by rounding the keeper and tapping into an empty net.

Boos emanated from the home stands. As they did at full time, but with far more ferocity.

With high-flying Middlesbrough and Birmingham next up, Jackett certainly has his work cut out from here.

Wolves: Martinez; Iorfa (Doherty, 78), Batth, Hause, Golbourne; Henry (Van La Parra, 53), McDonald, Coady, Ojo (Price, 53); Afobe; Le Fondre. Subs: Ikeme, Wallace, Byrne, Enobakhare.

Brentford: Button, Yennaris, Dean, Tarkowski, Bidwell; Woods (Tenes, 71), McCormack (Kerschbaumer, 78), Diagouraga, Swift, Judge; Djuricin (Hofmann, 74). Subs: Bonham, Vibe, Gogia, O'Connell.

Attendance: 18,167