Wolves 1 Portsmouth 1: Frustration as visitors grab late leveller

Any promotion challenge is typically built on strong home foundations.

Just right now, Wolves don’t seem to have those at Molineux.

This 1-1 draw against Portsmouth saw boos echo around the stadium for the second time in a week.

Admittedly, many of those were aimed at referee Ed Duckworth, while home boss Cesar Peixoto and Pompey counterpart John Mousinho had to be separated as tempers flared.

Yet while the result might not have been so bad as the 3-1 defeat to Bolton the previous Tuesday, it was almost equally as frustrating.

Tommy Devlin’s volleyed 86th minute leveller earned the visitors a point from a match in which their hosts, for long periods, showed a frustrating lack of attacking conviction.

Jordan James’ second goal since joining on loan from Rennes, after a first half which passed both teams by, looked to have been enough to earn a victory which would have lifted Wolves to fifth in the Championship.

But the home side never truly threatened to extend the advantage and that left Portsmouth in position to nab a leveller, which Devlin duly delivered.

This was a fine result for the visitors, who arrived missing 11 senior players through injury. For Wolves, it was a missed opportunity in the first of three consecutive home matches.

With Adam Armstrong again missing through injury, Sean Neave started for the second match running up front but struggled to make an impact.

Tawanda Chiwera, who replaced him off the bench, offered more and almost opened the scoring with a shot which hit the bar.

But at other moments, particularly as Wolves looked to push on after James had fired them in front, their lack of a focal point in attack was laid bare.

The first half was about as uninspiring as football gets. It ended with neither side having managed an attempt on target.

Wolves, as the home team, lacked adventure and energy. An early Andre shot from distance which bounced wide of the post was the sum of their efforts.

Though Portsmouth’s attacks were rarer, they did look marginally more dangerous. Madiodio Dia wasted probably the best chance when he could not get a header on target, before Rocco Shein sent a shot bobbling wide of the post.

Something had to change and Peixoto made two at the break, bringing on James and Tawanda Chiwera.

The latter, who replaced the ineffective Sean Neave up front, almost broke the deadlock within six minutes of the restart. Latching on to Mateus Mane’s diagonal pass into the box, his first touch sent a defender sliding out of play, before his shot smashed against the bar.

Mane was finding plenty of space but after sending one dangerous cross flashing through the six-yard box, with no Wolves player in attendance, he fired a shot wastefully wide. Peixoto and his bench were then left screaming for a penalty when the midfielder was tripped - maybe outside the box - by Ryan Kavuma-McQueen. Referee Ed Duckworth waved away the appeals.

The Wolves boss looked frustrated but this was much better from his team and soon after they were ahead.

James picked up the ball 25 yards out, found Lopez and then ran on to the return pass, firing a powerful finish inside the near post.

The 22-year-old celebrated in front of the South Bank, making an obvious attempt to try and gee up the crowd.

Wolves were worthy of their lead but Portsmouth should have quickly levelled. Ebou Adams was left unmarked at a corner but sent his header from four yards out over the bar.

It was the home side who still appeared to have momentum but when Doyle fired a dangerous cross into the box, there was again no-one close to getting on the end of it.

As the match entered the final 10 minutes with the lead still at one, the visitors found renewed thrust.

Doyle gave away a free-kick which Marezi thumped into the wall but the ball dropped for Devlin, who controlled it with his knee before lashing a volley into the bottom corner.

Wolves hurriedly pushed for a winner but Lopez saw a goalbound shot blocked, before Chirewa lashed wide in stoppage time.

Wolves (4-2-3-1): Sa, Tchatchoua, Djiga, Krejci, Bueno, Andre (Mosquera 89), Munetsi (James HT), Lopez, Mane (Doyle 67), Said (Bellegarde 75), Neave (Chiwera HT) Subs: Toti, Konan, Ruddy (gk), Virginia (gk).

Portsmouth (4-2-3-1): Schmid, Devlin, Poole, Dia, Meghoma, Shein (Kavuma-McQueen 53), Adams, Kamara (Kenny 75), Segecic (Pack 90+6), Mohamed (Bailey 75), Shade (Marezi 53) Subs not used: Waddingham, Swanson, Killip (gk), Bielica (gk).