West Brom v Wolves: Match Report

West Brom v Wolves

The Hawthorns

Premier League

Week 8

Chris Brunt’s unstoppable effort after eights minutes set the first Black Country derby of the year well on its way.  Youssouf Mulumbu played in left back Billy Jones on the over lap, before Jones found a waiting Brunt at the back post. His strike curled into Wayne Hennessey’s top corner to the dismay of the away fans behind the goal. 

The opening 20 minutes of the half were open and littered with chances. Jonas Olsson cleared Kevin Doyle’s close range attempt off the West Brom goal line while Shane Long’s effort from 20 yards was straight at a grateful Hennessey.

Wolves began to dominate possession as the game continued but the Baggies still looked a threat on the counter attack. Mulumbu smashed an effort on goal after Jerome Thomas was able to break down the Wolves right flank while Paul Scharner’s attempt, from a similar position to Brunt’s earlier strike, was pulled wide.

Wolves weren’t able to turn their possession into chances, only Christophe Berra’s deflected effort caused trouble for Ben Foster between the Baggies posts.

Both sides continued to press each other in the second half, with Wolves having the better of the possession and West Brom creating the more clear cut chances.

Hennessey prevented both Thomas and Brunt from doubling the Baggies lead, while Mulumbu blazed an effort way over the bar from 18 yards.

Wolves brought on Sylvan Ebanks-Blake to try and spice things up going forward and his assist for Adam Hammill almost produced an equalizer, but the Wolves winger dragged his effort just past the post.

Captain Roger Johnson wasted Wolve’s best chance of the half as he lifted a free header from eight yards over the bar.

The Baggies doubled their lead through substitute Peter Odemwingie 15 minutes from time, after Scharner’s cutting run and back heel gave the striker time and space in the Wolves box to place an effort into Hennessey’s bottom corner.

Odemwingie and fellow sub James Morrison both saw efforts easily saved by the Wolves keeper while Wolves struggled to make the most of their ample time on the ball.

A comfortable win for the Baggies as they now move out of the bottom three and into 12^th place while Wolves stay stuck on seven points in 16^th.