Sheffield Wednesday 1 (Small 45)
Wolves 3 (Eastwood 14, Kightly 48, Bothroyd 90)
Wolves opened their League account for the season with a well earned victory over Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.
Kick-off was delayed for 15 minutes following an incident on the M1 that caused major traffic problems. When play did get underway there were early calls for a home penalty when Darren Ward challenged Deon Burton but the referee, who was perfectly placed, waved play on.
Michael Kightly caused the home defence some early problems and he played a significant role as Wolves moved into a 14th minute lead when he intercepted a Tommy Spurr pass before laying the ball into the path of Andy Keogh.
The striker sprinted into the area and unleashed a shot that Lee Grant managed to parry. But the ball ran to Freddy Eastwood who confidently took a touch before firing home from six yards.
A clash of heads between Gary Breen and Burton led to the Wolves skipper leaving the field for stitches to a nasty looking wound. In his absence, Wednesday lost the services of Francis Jeffers who limped off to be replaced by former Wolf Leon Clarke.
Seyi Olofinjana went into the book for a challenge on Kenny Lunt before Wade Small headed over following a centre from Jermaine Johnson.
Keogh found the net after running on to a Kightly pass but the visiting supporters' cheers were stifled when they saw the lineman flagging for offside.
Wayne Hennessey did well to get a hand to an angled shot from Small and, at the other end, Keogh lifted his shot over the bar after the scramble that followed Kightly's corner.
The cut on Breen's head finally forced him from the game and he was replaced by Neill Collins in the 32nd minute.
As the half drew to a close fouls by Collins and Darren Potter on Clarke and Lunt respectively led to Wednesday free-kicks in dangerous positions but on each occasion the defensive wall did its job.
But, deep into stoppage time, Wednesday drew level. Hennessey did well to push behind a deflected shot from Small. But the keeper could only get his fingertips to Glenn Whelan's corner and when Clarke helped the ball back into the middle, Small was in place to convert from point blank range.
Michael Gray went into the book after he appeared to handle before the ball went into the net.
Half-Time: Wednesday 1 Wolves 1
It took Wolves just three minutes of the new half to regain the advantage. Keogh found Eastwood who brilliantly beat two defenders before laying the ball into the path of Kightly who drove home a shot that Grant got a hand to, but couldn't keep out (pictured).
In the 54th minute there was almost a third goal after Keogh had released Kightly on the right. The winger drilled a low centre across the face of goal and Stephen Ward ran in at the far post but his was effort deflected behind off a defender.
Potter, who had been yellow carded for an innocuous looking challenge on Johnson, was replaced by Karl Henry midway through the half.
Kevin Foley and Collins combined to block a Small shot after the Wednesday man had raced onto a Burton pass in the left of the visitor's area. Then a deep cross from Johnson bounced off the top of the crossbar.
The home side were pushing hard for an equaliser and after Hennessey had dealt with a Burton header, a Frank Simek cross fell to Clarke at the far post but he couldn't control the ball which bounced off him and went wide.
Five minutes from time Small thought he had levelled matters when Hennessey took the sting out of, but couldn't hold, a fierce drive. But the Welsh international recovered just in time and dived on the ball as it was about to cross the line.
Jay Bothroyd came on for the last two minutes and stoppage time and he soon eased any nerves by netting Wolves' third goal.
He chased Olofinjana's lofted through ball and outpaced Richard Wood before coolly clipping the ball over Grant in front of 2,000 delighted Wolves supporters.
Wednesday: Grant, Bullen, Lunt (Hinds 88), Whelan (O'Brien 77), Jeffers (Clarke19), Burton, Wood, Simek, Johnson, Small, Spurr.
Unused subs: Burch, Gilbert.
Booking: Johnson (kicking ball away)
Wolves: Hennessey, Foley, Gray, Olofinjana, Breen (N. Collins 32), D. Ward, Kightly, Potter (Henry 68), Keogh, Eastwood (Bothroyd 88), S. Ward.
Unused subs: Stack, Bennett.
Bookings: Olofinjana (25 - foul), Gray (45 - handball), Potter (55 - foul).
Referee: P. Walton.
Attendance: 22,131.
Wolves Academy Under 18s 0 Huddersfield Town 0
