Report & Highlights: Wolves edge out Palace in five-goal thriller

Summary

• Powell makes five changes to the side

• Not much between the two sides early on

• Ebiowei has an effort from distance

• Izquierdo pulls off great stop to deny Rees

• HT: Wolves 0-0 Palace

• Izquierdo makes a strong stop at his near post early on in the second-half

• Wolves take the lead from the spot through Hesketh

• The hosts double their lead on the hour mark via Farmer

• Umeh pulls one back for Palace eighty seconds after coming on

• Fraser restores Wolves’ two-goal cushion a minute after Umeh scores

• Devenny strikes the bar from distance with five minutes to go

• Ola-Adebomi nets in stoppage time, but Palace can't find a late equaliser

• FT:  Wolves 3-2 Palace

Only four days on from the defeat to Fulham at Selhurst Park, Crystal Palace Under-21s travelled to the West Midlands to take on Wolverhampton Wanderers Under-21s in the Premier League 2.

Head coach Darren Powell made five changes to the side, with Jackson Izquierdo, Joe Sheridan, Noah Watson, Justin Devenny and first-teamer Malcolm Ebiowei all coming in for Joe Whitworth, Caleb Kporha, Jadan Raymond, Adler Nascimento and Franco Umeh.

There was not much to separate the two sides early on in the half. Both teams cancelled each other out in the final third and prevented any clear attempts at goal.

Ebiowei arguably had Palace’s best chance of the first half, with an attempt from distance going wide of the mark.

Izquierdo, in his first start for the U21s this season, pulled off a fine save to deny Mason Rees following a second phase of a corner.

Wolves had looked threatening from corners, and the ball fell kindly for the midfielder on the edge of the box, though Izquierdo got two hands to his firmly struck effort.

Palace’s two wing-backs combined well towards the end of the half, with Watson picking out Danny Imray with a ball across the face of goal, though Imray’s first-time volley didn’t trouble Joe Young in the Wolves goal.

Sheridan did well late on in the half to stop an onrushing Nathan Fraser from getting a shot away. The centre-back got a foot in with a perfectly timed challenge to win the ball back inside the box.

With a lot to be desired from the first-half, the two teams reemerged at New Bucks Head in search of a breakthrough. The hosts came close with the first chance of the half, though Izquierdo did well to deny Finlay Ashworth at his near post.

Wolves took the lead just seven minutes into the second-half from the penalty spot. Owen Farmer was adjudged to have been fouled inside the box and Owen Hesketh stepped up to give the hosts the lead.

The West Midlanders then managed to double their lead on the hour-mark. A long-range strike from Farmer nestled in the bottom corner, beating three Palace players and ‘keeper.

Palace had it all to do after falling two goals behind. Powell turned to his bench for inspiration and received exactly that. Eighty seconds after coming on, Franco Umeh managed to halve the deficit.

Grehan’s floated diagonal ball was flicked on by Ola-Adebomi into the path of the Irishman, who skipped past three challenges, darting into the box, and finished with the outside of his foot.

The Eagles’ celebrations were cut short as Wolves responded a minute later. A floated ball into the box from Farmer picked out Fraser who headed in from inside the six-yard box.

Efforts came and went as the game trickled towards the final few moments. Grehan headed over from inside the box after a looping throw, while Izquierdo did well to stop an Ethan McLeod shot from distance.

For the second game in a row, new signing Devenny rattled the crossbar with a well-struck effort. Immediately after hitting the woodwork, Palace were on the back foot as Wolves countered.

Izquierdo did incredibly well to deny McLeod once more and to deny a follow-up effort from Ashworth on the Wolves counter, keeping the deficit to two.

In the third minute of 10 added on, Ademola Ola-Adebomi notched his first of the season. The Palace No. 9 did well to control Imray’s driven ball across the box, turning and shooting with one touch.

It wasn’t to be for the Eagles, despite their best efforts late on. Defeat to Wolves sees Palace reside in 20th place in the new-look Premier League 2, four places off the play-offs.

Wolves: Young (GK), Kaleta, Keto-Diyawa (Voice, 87), Rees (Harper, 74), Kandola, Hubner, Birtwistle, Ashworth (Reynolds, 86), Fraser, Hesketh, Farmer (McLeod, 77).

Sub not used: Arinbjornsson (GK).

Palace: Izquierdo (GK), Imray, Sheridan, Grehan, Francis, Watson (Umeh, 67), Devenny, Wells-Morrison, Akinwale (Mathurin, 77), Ola-Adebomi, Ebiowei (Raymond, 61).

Subs not used: Trialist (GK), Eze.