Match Report
Fulham
(0) 0-3 (0)
Wolves
Championship Match Day 09 1516 at Craven Cottage
Tuesday 29th September 2015 KO: 19:45
Ref:Darren Drysdale (Lincolnshire)
|
Wolves flourished rather than floundered in the wake of Steve Morgan's decision to sell up, with substitute Sheyi Ojo inspiring his side to a comprehensive victory at Fulham.
News emanated on the eve of Tuesday's Sky Bet Championship encounter that the owner had stepped down from the board with immediate effect and was looking to find a buyer eight years after taking over at Molineux from the late Sir Jack Hayward.
The development sent shockwaves around the West Midlands, but Kenny Jackett's side responded impressively as Adam Le Fondre, Ojo and James Henry wrapped up an impressive 3-0 win against the 10 men of Fulham.
Kit Symons' men were already on the back foot when Tom Cairney picked up a deserved first-half red card for a two-footed tackle on Le Fondre, with Benik Afobe, Henry and Nathan Byrne having all threatened by that point.
It was the latter's replacement that would unlock the hosts' defence, with Liverpool loanee Ojo's half-time introduction rewarded within 11 minutes at Craven Cottage.
| Match Stats |
Fulham
|
Wolves
|
| Goals |
(0) 0 |
3 (0) |
| |
| Scorers |
|
Le Fondre 56 |
| |
|
Ojo 59 |
| |
|
Henry 78 |
| |
| Goal attempts |
5 |
16 |
| On target |
3 |
9 |
| Shooting Accuracy |
60% |
56% |
| Possession |
36% |
64% |
| Passes |
418 |
721 |
| Pass Success |
78% |
87% |
| Crosses |
10 |
23 |
| Crosses Success |
20% |
22% |
| Corners |
1 |
3 |
| Tackles |
13 |
8 |
| Tackles Success |
46% |
88% |
| Saves |
6 |
3 |
| Fouls |
11 |
14 |
| Offsides |
3 |
2 |
| Yellows |
0 |
0 |
| Reds |
1 |
0 |
| source: Soccernet/Fulham FC |
Having seen his curling, goalbound effort glanced home by Le Fondre, the 18-year-old then hit a hopeful, near-post strike that squeezed through Andy Lonergan's grasp and Henry curled home a beautiful free-kick to add gloss to Wolves' third league win of the season.
Fulham were a shadow of the side that thrashed west London rivals QPR on Friday and markedly tailed off after a promising start, with Lonergan twice having to deny Afobe before Ryan Fredericks almost netted an own goal.
Byrne inexplicably turned the follow-up wide before Henry threatened with a deflected effort, with the match further tilting the visitors' way after Cairney's two-footed lunge on Le Fondre led to a deserved straight red card.
Moussa Dembele - a rare bright spark for the home side - managed to burst forward to get a shot at Damian Martinez's goal, but it always looked more likely that Wolves would find the breakthrough - and so it proved in the 56th minute.
Ojo, on at half-time for Byrne, ran at the Fulham defence, cut inside and curled goalwards, with Le Fondre getting the slightest head on the ball to send it in off the far post.
The Liverpool teenager would not have to wait long for a goal of his own, though, as his hopeful strike embarrassingly beat Lonergan at his near post three minutes later.
It allowed Wolves to slow the tempo but there was still another blow to come for Fulham. Tim Ream clattered into Le Fondre on the edge of the box and Henry stepped up to curl home an exceptional free-kick in the 78th minute.
Fulham: Lonergan; Fredericks (Voser 76), Stearman, Ream, Husband; Cairney, Tunnicliffe, O'Hara (Mattila 84), Pringle (Christensen 59); McCormack (c); Dembele
Substitutes not used: Lewis (GK); Burn, Kavanagh, Woodrow
Sent off: Cairney 35 (double footed tackle)
Wolverhampton Wanderers: Martinez; Iorfa, Batth (c), Hause, Golbourne; Byrne (Ojo 46), McDonald, Price, Henry (Wallace 90+1); Afobe, Le Fondre (Enobakhare 83)
Substitutes not used: Ikeme (GK); Doherty, Ebanks-Landell, Saville
Scorers: Le Fondre 56; Ojo 59; Henry 78
Referee: Darren Drysdale (Lincolnshire)
Attendance: 14,838