Afobe brace secures win

Wolverhampton Wanderers 3 v Burton Albion 1

For most of the season The Billy Wright benefits from having its back to the prevailing westerly wind. But not today as an anomalous northerly blew into the stand from the front bringing with it a sequence of dark clouds whose cargo of snow was periodically dispersed amongst us. By minute eighty my feet were numb a combination of the biting wind and poor circulation. It was pretty grim but at least by that advanced time Wolverhampton Wanderers were on their way to three points and ever closer to automatic promotion.

To all intents and purpose this was a practice game for the Old Gold. They dominated possession from start to finish and should have scored more than the three goals that they did manage to convert. Furthermore the one goal conceded was a soft concession following a corner shortly before half time. It possibly prompted a hairdryer from Manager Nuno, who looked agitated by the lack of pace in Wolves play. If there is an aspect of their play about which one can be critical it is a preponderance to squander attacking opportunities by passing the ball to death amongst the back four merely to retain possession. In tame Burton, however, such a weakness could not be exploited as Wolves won with plenty to spare.

All three goals were beautifully crafted the first on fifteen minutes scored by Helda Costa who latched onto a delightful through ball from Conor Coady. With only Stephen Bywater to beat the Portuguese forward cut inside before lifting the ball over the advancing keeper and into the net. On thirty six minutes Ivan Cavaleiro stretched Bywater with a turn and shot in one movement and then five minutes later Benik Afobe added to Wolves’ tally. As with the Costa goal he broke free of the offside trap collecting a Ruben Neves through ball. In the past I have been critical of the on-loan striker but here he burst into the box before burying his shot into the roof of the net. It was a fine effort and coming as it did just short of half time should really have put the game beyond Burton’s reach.

But within a minute of the restart sloppy defending from a Burton corner saw the ball collected by Lloyd Dyer free on the D. With time to spare he fired the ball back through a ruck of players and into the net. Cue half time disquiet.

Wolves began the second half in more energetic fashion and in the fifty sixth minute finally put the game to bed with another fine goal. It owed much to the wriggling run of Cavaleiro who, with the Burton defence in disarray, fed Afobe to side foot home. It would however not be the last match highlight, that coming in the eighty first minute with the most brilliant pass from Neves. In picking out Costa it took out four Burton defenders and the only shame was that keeper Bywater managed to nick the ball from Costa’s feet before he could get a shot away.

In his post match interview the Coach expressed his pleasure with the performance. The promised land gets ever nearer.

Wolves: Ruddy 6, Bennett 7, Coady 7, Bolly 7, Doherty 6, Douglas 6, Neves 9 Sub N’Diaye, Saiss 6, Costa 8, Afobe 9 Sub Bonatini, Cavaleiro 8 Sub Gibbs White

Burton Albion: Bywater 6, Flanagan 6, Naylor 6, Buxton 6, McFadzean 5 Sub McCrory, Sordell 5 Sub SBarra, Davenport 6, Akban 6, Dyer 6, Boyce 6 Sub Egert

Attendance: 29,977

Referee: Geoff Eltringham 9

©Mark Brennand