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Championship
Dec 17, 2015 at 7.45pm UK
 
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2-3

Afobe (10'), Byrne (81')
FT(HT: 1-1)
Byram (44', 60'), Dallas (51')

Live Commentary: Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-3 Leeds United - as it happened

Relive Leeds United's entertaining 3-2 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Championship with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates.
2

Wolverhampton Wanderers took on Leeds United at Molineux in the final game of matchday 21 in the Championship on Thursday night.

Neither side went into the match on good form and it was Leeds who came out on top 3-2 in what was a see-saw contest.

Read all about Leeds's first league win at Molineux in 31 years with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates below.


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Evening all! The 12th and final game of matchday 21 in the Championship is a match between two bottom-half teams as Wolves host Leeds at Molineux. Plenty to get through before kickoff in half an hour, so let's bring you up to date on the team news first...



WOLVES XI: Ikeme; Iorfa, Batth, Ebanks-Landell, Golbourne; Price, McDonald, Henry, Edwards, Graham; Afobe
Subs: McCarey, Doherty, Coady, Wallace, Byrne, Holt, Le Fondre

Kenny Jackett makes one change to his starting lineup and it sees Benik Afobe return to the XI after being demoted to the bench.

Former Arsenal man Afobe, who Jackett says will not be sold in January, has netted just one goal in his last nine league appearances. Can he return to form tonight?

Benik Afobe of Wolves celebrates with team mates after scoring the opening goal of the game during the Sky Bet Championship match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Watford at Molineux on March 7, 2015© Getty Images

LEEDS XI: Silvestri; Wootton, Bellusci, Cooper, Taylor; Byram, Cook, Adeyemi, Bridcutt, Dallas; Wood
Subs: Peacock-Farrell, Coyle, Bamba, Murphy, Mowatt, Doukara, Antenucci

Like his opposite number, Steve Evans makes just one alteration to the side that drew 0-0 at Charlton on Saturday. It comes in midfield, with Sam Byram preferred to Alex Mowatt. Byram should start out wide on the right, meaning that Stuart Dallas will swap wings and move back to his preferred left.

Evans suggested in the build-up to this match that Whites captain Sol Bamba could return after a month out injured, but the centre-back is only named on the bench. Giuseppe Bellusci and Liam Cooper keep their places at the heart of the backline.

Click here to see how the Championship table looks going into tonight's match. Wolves sit 14th on 25 points and will move into the top half with a win, while Leeds have dropped to 18th the last couple of days but will climb above their opponents and go 14th with a maximum.

So both teams need a win to move up the table, but in all honesty a draw might be the most likely result tonight. Wolves are without a win in five at home, drawing the last three, while Leeds have managed only one win in their last six away games!

H2H: Leeds are winless in their last seven league trips to Molineux, losing five. The last match between the two was here in April and it was a brilliant match that Wolves won 4-3. Jackett's men also won at Elland Road last term, claiming a 2-1 win there last October.

Looking at the home and away tables for the Championship, you might say that Leeds are favourites tonight. The Whites have the 10th-best away points haul, while Wolves are the 19th-best team at home.

PREDICTION: Right then, just five minutes until we kick off under the lights in the Black Country. I'm having a really hard time separating the two and surely a draw is the most likely outcome. Another goalfest like we had in April here would be great, but there have only been more than three goals in one of Leeds's games this season. I'm going to say 1-1.

Here come the two teams out of the tunnel. With Wolves' home colours amber, Leeds are in their all-white home kit tonight as their yellow away kit would clash.

Not a great omen for the visitors...


KICKOFF! The hosts get us underway. The stadium is pretty empty at the minute, hopefully it will start to fill up now that we've kicked off.

I was at Craven Cottage for Fulham-Ipswich on Tuesday night and we had a goal there within 16 seconds. No such luck tonight - it's been a very low-key start.

Away fans usually get given a spot at one of the ends at football grounds, but Leeds are in the bottom tier across the length of the pitch.


First bit of work for either goalkeeper as Leeds left-back Taylor loops in a cross that Ikeme holds just under his crossbar. No challenge from a Leeds player, so it was a comfortable catch.

OFF THE POST! Oh my goodness! Stuart Dallas has come within inches of scoring the goal of the season. The Northern Ireland international took the ball down on his chest before smashing a first-time volley off the upright. Ikeme was rooted to the spot.

CHANCE! Wolves go down the other end and have a great chance of their own. Graham does superbly with a run from the left-hand touchline before rolling the ball into Afobe. I mentioned before the match that he's only bagged one goal in nine games and he really looked like a striker low on confidence here, dragging the ball well wide of the target. Henry was supporting in the middle, so I think he got caught in two minds and didn't realise how much time he had.

GOAL! WOLVES 1-0 LEEDS (BENIK AFOBE)

A horrible miss a moment ago, but Afobe justifies his selection now with a cool finish after running onto Henry's flicked header. Cooper was slow to react and played the striker onside and this time he made no mistake.

Well, well, well. Five minutes of complete nothing then an outrageous volley against the post and two one-on-one opportunities, the second of which Afobe took. Maybe we are on for another 4-3?!

A great start for the hosts, but this stat suggests that it might not be an easy night ahead...


Afobe has been busy early in the match but the same can't be said of Leeds frontman Wood. Dallas just dinked a cross to the back post, but Byram was the man coming in and he doesn't have quite the same aerial presence.

CHANCE! Cooper hasn't had a great start in defence for Leeds and he slips on the ball to gift Price possession on the right of the area. The midfielder cleverly dinks a cross into the middle and it reaches Afobe, but the striker didn't seem to think that it would and wasn't ready to head at goal.

When you're already losing, you can't make silly mistakes. Bridcutt cheaply gives the ball away in midfield and Graham, who has been really lively, surges forward down the left. He looks for Afobe in the middle, but Cooper is alert and hacks away.



CLOSE! And Afobe almost gets a double here. Leeds give the forward way too much time to bring the ball down and hit a shot on the turn in the box, with the ball rolling just wide of Silvestri's right-hand post.

Leeds need a good five minutes or so just to restore some confidence. Dallas's speculative volley, that almost went in for one of the goals of the season, is the only shot that they've mustered. Wolves have had four. No play at the moment because Leeds midfielder Adeyemi is down with an injury.

LEEDS SUB: Adeyemi can't continue and even though there are like-for-like options to replace him, Evans brings on a forward-thinking player in Doukara.

It looks like Doukara is giving Wood some company up front, so the visitors are now playing with a 4-4-2 formation.

SHOT! The standout player so far, Wolves wideman Graham, wins the ball back near the Leeds area and then beats Bridcutt with a step-over before having his curling shot saved by Silvestri. Not quite enough power there to worry Leeds's Italian stopper.

Much better passing and probing from Leeds, but they can't quite find the final pass before Doukara is tackled and ball goes out for a Wolves throw. Oddly, taking a midfielder out for a striker seems to have helped Leeds's passing game in the middle.

It almost opens up for Wood in the area, but he can't quite work a shooting opportunity or lay the ball off to Dallas, who was waiting to be teed up on the edge of the box. The visitors have improved big time the last few minutes.

CHANCE! Doukara has been very active since coming on and he picks out the run of Byram with an incisive pass. The Leeds youngster takes an excellent first touch into the box, but his shot is blocked by McDonald before ricocheting back off him and going out for a goal kick.

GOAL! WOLVES 1-1 LEEDS (SAM BYRAM)

Leeds have been knocking on the door the last few minutes and they get a goal just before the break through Byram, who came back into the team tonight. It's the right-sider's first league goal of the season as he coolly slots home after a tackle broke his way and he took a first touch which took Batth out of the game.

Into two added minutes at the end of the first half. What a time to score for Leeds!

Leeds, now full of confidence, continue to press forward and they have another shot through Cook, whose first-time effort from 20 yards was horribly sliced wide.

HALF-TIME: WOLVES 1-1 LEEDS

A half of two halves, that. Leeds didn't look bothered at all early on and could have been two behind, but they finished the half really strongly and got back on level terms two minutes before the break.

If you're only just joining us and don't fancy going through all of the below updates, then our handy half-time report is just for you.

Both goalscorers, Afobe and Byram, were the only changes that their managers made to the starting lineup and they have certainly justified their selection.

So with the score as it is, Wolves are 14th in the live table, while Leeds are set to climb a place to 17th.

Six of Byram's eight goals for Leeds have come away from home and you could see that it really meant something to the local lad, who has come through the academy at Elland Road. Reports suggest that he might want to leave the club in January, but there is still some passion there, clearly.

Evans screams at his players as they take a break while Adeyemi receives treatment. The midfielder had to go off injured and Doukara's introduction really injected some life into Leeds.


The two teams are back out for the second 45. No half-time changes from either manager.

KICKOFF! Leeds get us back underway. No players booked in the first half, by the way.

CHANCE! Massive chance right at the start of the second half for Leeds as Doukara dispossesses Ebanks-Landell and feeds Wood. The Kiwi only has Ikeme to beat, but his first touch is heavy and the Wolves keeper is able to spread himself and make the stop.

Wolves threaten for the first time in the second half as Henry feeds Iorfa down the right, but the defender's attempted cross is mishit and goes out for a Leeds goal kick.

GOAL! WOLVES 1-2 LEEDS (STUART DALLAS)

Leeds turn it around at Molineux! Dallas beats Ikeme at the near post with a fierce drive after playing a lovely one-two with Doukara down the right and bearing down on goal.

That was a lovely layoff from Doukara to set Dallas away. What an impact the substitute has had. The Wolves defence didn't close Dallas down and Ikeme will be angry that his shot got through his defences at the near post.

SAVE! Great stop from Ikeme to keep Wolves within one. Wood got up well and powered a header at goal, but Ikeme was equal to it. Wood probably should have directed his effort nearer the corner, but take nothing away from Ikeme. The rebound fell to Doukara and he couldn't pick out a man in the middle.

BOOKING! First yellow card shown to Leeds centre-back Bellusci, who slid in rashly and took out Graham on the right wing.

CHANCE! Goodness me, what a miss from Wood! Wolves make an awful mess of Byram's cross and the ball falls to Wood about 10 yards out. Ikeme rushes out and makes another fine save with his foot, but Wood simply has to score there. That's three great chances he's had in the second half and all three have been too easy for Ikeme to save.

From @OptaJoe on Twitter: "1 - Stuart Dallas bagged his first goal for Leeds with his 31st shot of the Championship season. Timely."

GOAL! WOLVES 1-3 LEEDS (SAM BYRAM)

Wolves have been all over the place defensively and this time Leeds punish them. Wood's initial cross was blocked, but Taylor then looped one to the back post where Byram outjumped Golbourne and headed over Ikeme into the net.

Despite now leading by two goals, the Whites continue to pile forward as Dallas's cross is held by Ikeme. It's hard to put into words just how easy Wolves have been to break down in this second half. Leeds have scored two, but it could have been six since the break.

Leeds aren't sitting on their lead! This time the cross comes from the right as Taylor's wicked delivery is headed out by Golbourne. Wolves look completely bereft of confidence and need to get the ball down.

Amid all the Leeds chances, Adam Le Fondre came on for Wolves in place of Edwards. So both teams now have two strikers and in Le Fondre, Wolves have a player who has scored three goals in his last three league appearances against Leeds.

Byram has scored a brace for the first time in his career.


WOLVES SUB: A second change for the hosts as Nathan Byrne comes on for Henry in a like-for-like swap on the wing.

Wolves are only the second team in 25 Championship matches to concede three against Leeds. They have defended woefully since conceding at the end of the first half.

McDonald looks for Afobe over the top, but Leeds have a good defensive line and the Wolves goalscorer is rightly flagged offside.

You might have thought that Leeds would sit back and invite pressure after going two in front, but they're still pressing high up the pitch and Wolves don't seem to have an answer.

Bridcutt is angry with referee Stuart Attwell after conceding a foul for a barge on Graham. The Wolves man did go down easily, but Bridcutt clearly used too much force.

From the resulting free kick, no-one tracks the run of Le Fondre at the back stick. Unfortunately for Wolves, Le Fondre is one of the smallest strikers around and he can't quite leap high enough to generate any power on his header.

Tonight's attendance at Molineux is 19,592.

LEEDS SUB: Evans makes his first change, taking off Wood for Mirco Antenucci. Wood has got into good positions, but his finishing has been woeful. Not quite sure how he hasn't scored.

GOAL! WOLVES 2-3 LEEDS (NATHAN BYRNE)

You wouldn't say they really deserve it, but Wolves are back in this now as Byrne sidefoots home a first-time volley after an excellent inswinging cross from the left by Graham.

That goal has breathed life into the home fans after what had been, for want of a better word, a rubbish second-half performance. Can they snatch a point, or maybe it will be another 4-3 like last season!

WOLVES SUB: Third and final change from Jackett, with Conor Coady on for Price in midfield.

It's all Wolves now and the ball is almost bundled home from a corner after Leeds failed to deal with Graham's initial delivery.

LEEDS SUB: Goalscorer Dallas takes as much time as he can to leave the field. Mowatt on in his place.

CHANCE! Wolves' star of the show, Graham, delivers another fantastic cross and Batth is up from defence but can't direct his header down at goal. Can Leeds hang on?

Into the final minute of the 90 and as it stands this record is about to go!


FIVE minutes of added time.

Graham with another vicious cross from the right. This one is too close to Silvestri, but it bounces right in front of the Italian keeper, who does well to grasp the ball and not let it go.

Silvestri's not happy with Le Fondre after the Wolves man seemed to leave a foot in when challenging for the ball in the box. He had a right to go for it and Silvestri is just being silly.

Byrne takes aim from the edge of the box for Wolves and it swerves wide of the target. The goalscorer wants a corner, but referee Attwell is having none of it.

A chance to put the game to bed for Leeds on the counter, but Bridcutt's pass sells Byram short and the opening fizzles out as Mowatt's tame effort bobbles wide.

Graham again with space on the right and again he finds Silvestri. Good pace on the ball, but too close to the goal. That could be the hosts' last chance.

FULL-TIME: WOLVES 2-3 LEEDS

A huge win for Leeds as they fight back from a slow start to beat Wolves 3-2. The home side defended dreadfully at times and didn't really deserve anything from it.

That might be Leeds's best win since the appointment of Evans and he'll be delighted to see his team up in 14th and now eight points clear of the relegation zone.

Time for us to say good night, but I'll leave you with our on-the-whistle match report on what was a really entertaining game at Molineux. We'll be back tomorrow for live updates on another Championship match between Birmingham and Cardiff. See you then!

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Carl Ikeme of Wolverhampton Wanderers in action during the npower Championship match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Barnsley at Molineux on August 21, 2012
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