Wolves 3 (Costa 47, Teixeira 57, Cavaleiro 90+3)
Brentford 1 (Kaikai 67)
It was never easy against a resilient Brentford side but Wolves made it back to back League wins to leapfrog their London rivals and move up to eighth in the Championship table.
Walter Zenga named the team that had beaten Newcastle in the League fixture at St James’ Park seven days earlier.
Wolves kicked-off attacking the North Bank afternoon on an overcast afternoon at Molineux.
Helder Costa took the ball down the right flank and pushed it forward to Jon Dadi Bodvarsson who ran to the by-line before delivering a short cross that Joao Teixeira tried to backheel into the net. Brentford keeper Dan Bentley showed some good reflexes to cut out the danger at his near post.
When Cameron Borthwick-Jackson tried to let the ball run out for a goal-kick, John Egan won possession and laid it into the path of Scott Hogan who drew a quality diving save from Carl Ikeme.
After Costa had been fouled by Harlee Dean 25-yards out from the Bees goal, Romain Staiss’s free-kick-bounced off the wall to Costa whose crisp volley went straight into the arms of Bentley.
Matt Doherty then took the ball from inside his own half of the field to the edge of the Brentford box before he was dispossessed as he was about to shoot.
Teixeira, with some brilliant footwork, held off a plethora of challenges before he was sent tumbling on the by-line. It looked a cast iron penalty but to the amazement of players and spectators alike, the referee waved play on.
Bodvarsson forced a diving save from Bentley with a low drive from the 18-yard line before a debatable decision saw Brentford awarded a free-kick to the right of the home area. Josh McEachran drilled the ball into the middle where it was headed clear by Danny Batth.
Two Brentford players went into the book in as many minutes – Maxime Colin for a late challenge on Teixeira who was about to run into the box. Teixeira took the free-kick himself aiming hard and low, but a defender was on hand to clear from in front of goal.
Romaine Sawyers was the next to see yellow after he obstructed the taking of a free-kick awarded to Wolves near the halfway line.
As the half drew to a close two corners from Costa failed to break the deadlock.
Half-Time: Wolves 0 Brentford 0
Just 90 seconds after the restart Wolves moved into the lead thanks to a tremendous piece of work involving Costa and Teixeira. Costa sprinted from deep inside his own half before playing the ball to his team-mate who dummied a defender before slotting the ball under Bentley’s dive.
Before play restarted McEachran was carried off on a stretcher to be replaced by Nico Yennaris.
Teixeira was soon in the thick of things again with a pass that found Costa in front of goal. The midfielder was crowded out as he tried to get a shot away and, with his back to goal, he tried to backheel the ball back into the middle but a defender cleared.
The determination and footwork of Bodvarsson led to Wanderers second goal in the 57th minute. The striker refused to be shaken off the ball inside the Brentford box and when he was forced out wide on the left, he pulled the ball back to Costa who was fouled as he was about to cross.
Teixeira took the free-kick and Bentley was completely deceived as the ball ran through the crowded area and crept inside the far post into the corner of the net.
After Lass Vibe had replaced the injured Lewis MacLeod, Brentford reduced the deficit in the 67th minute when Yennaris set up Sullay Kaikai who smashed the ball into the roof of the net. Ikeme got a touch but the power of the shot was too much.
Ivan Cavaleiro went on for Costa in the 69th minute before Saiss was booked for a foul, and Dean for dissent after a mass Brentford penalty appeal for hands was rejected by the referee.
Prince Oniangue lifted a shot high over before another Wolves change saw Joe Mason replacing Teixeira.
Mason hooked the ball wide after Oniangue pulled the ball back from the by-line, and an Egan header was pouched by Ikeme after Yoann Barbet had nodded on cross.
Three minutes into the six of added time, the excellent Bodvarsson broke clear and laid a perfect ball into the path of Cavaleiro who coolly rounded things off with his first Wolves goal.
Wolves: Ikeme, Doherty, Borthwick-Jackson, Edwards, Batth (capt), Iorfa, Saiss, Oniangue (Coady 88), Bodvarsson, Costa (Cavaleiro 69), Teixeira (Mason 77).
Unused subs: Lonergan, Stearman, Price, Gladon.
Booking: Saiss (74 – foul).
Brentford: Bentley, Colin, Macleod (Vibe 64), Dean (capt), Hogan, McEachran (Yennaris 49), Egan, Woods, Sawyers, Kaikai, Barbet.
Unused subs: Bonham, Saunders, McCormack, Clarke, Chatzitheodoridis.
Bookings: Colin (35 – foul), Sawyers (37 – obstructing free-kick), Dean (75 – dissent), Woods (90+4 – dissent).
Referee: A. Davies.
Attendance: 20,637 (631 visiting supporters).
Wolves Academy Under 18s 3 (Giles, Ennis, Penny) West Bromwich 2
