Bristol City 1 (Twine 34) Wolves 2 (Neave 82 & 89)
Sean Neave came off the bench to score his first two goals in professional football and turn defeat into a vital late victory for Wolves at Bristol City.
The Old Gold had trailed for a long time to Scott Twine’s free-kick, but their dominance eventually told when Neave pounced on a loose ball with eight minutes remaining.
The Newcastle United loanee wasn’t finished there however, and one minute from time met Ladislav Krejci’s header to nod home from close range and spark pandemonium in the away end, as Wolves moved up to second in the Championship.
Cesar Peixoto’s side showed promising signs early on through Rafiki Said on the left-hand side, as the winger combined well with Adam Armstrong. The latter, making his 500th senior career appearance, was slipped in behind and forced Bradley Collins into a smart save after striking low with his left boot.
Much of the opening 30 minutes was controlled well by Peixoto’s side who were playing on the front foot and with intensity. However, the Robins were given signs of encouragement when a cross into the box wasn’t claimed by Jose Sa and Lorent Tolaj nodded over from close range.
And minutes later, Wolves found themselves behind. A cheap free-kick gave Twine the opportunity to step up from 25 yards and bend his effort over the wall past the diving Sa who was unable to keep the ball out.
Half-time | Bristol City 1-0 Wolves
The visitors went in search of a leveller and Armstrong came close again. This time, Krejci’s pass found the well-timed run of the striker, but Collins was once again there to thwart the Wolves man before Said struck the follow-up wide from a tight angle.
Substitute Rodrigo Gomes then had the chance to make an immediate impact when a fortunate ricochet played the winger in on goal, but Cameron Pring retreated and put in a superb sliding challenge just as Gomes was set to pull the trigger. Collins was a man determined not to be beaten in the City net as he saved well from a Krejci header after the defender had met Kieran Trippier’s corner.
Peixoto made a triple change with just over 15 to play and one of those paid dividends. Krejci’s switch to Tripper was struck first time by the defender to Armstrong whose shot wasn’t held by Collins, as Neave nipped in to bury his first goal in old gold.
Not satisfied with an equaliser, Neave’s second goal in professional football turned one point into three. Kieran Trippier’s clipped free-kick was headed across goal with interest by Krejci and Neave threw himself at the ball to head home from close range and win it in stunning fashion late on.
Full-time | Bristol City 1-2 Wolves
Bristol City | Collins, Eissat, Pring, Williams (Randell 85), Tolaj, Twine (Ballard 67), Bell (Hirakawa 58), Knight, McNally, Tanner, Cardines (Wallace 67).
Unused subs | Tickle, Atkinson, De Keersmaecker, Horvat, Greenwood.
Wolves | Sa, Trippier, Mosquera, Krejci, Bueno, Andre, Munetsi (R. Gomes 55), Bellegarde (Doyle 73), Lopez (Neave 73), Said (Mane 73), Armstrong (Chirewa 85).
Unused subs | Virginia, Toti, Djiga, Tchatchoua.
