Wolves 2 (Bennett 13, Rosa 28)

Nottingham Forest 3 (Sinclair 63, 78, Heath 80)

Brave young Wolves pushed Champions elect Nottingham Forest all the way in a pulsating reserve contest at the Bucks Head.

But the Trentside team showed just why they head the Pontin's League table by 20 clear points by coming from two goals down to maintain their unbeaten record for the season.

Wolves were almost one down inside 20 seconds as Ben Fairclough ran into the area and slipped the ball past Billy Lumley. But Michael Wardle came to the rescue when he sprinted across to clear the ball off the line.

But Wanderers soon settled and there was a chance for them in the sixth minute when Denes Rosa ran onto Mark Salmon's through ball and sidestepped a defender before shooting over from the 18-yard line.

Karl Darlow took a centre from James Davis after good work from Ashley Hemmings, but the keeper was beaten in the 13^th minute by a precision 20-yard ground shot from Kyle Bennett that flew into the bottom corner.

Four minutes later a smart piece of work from Wardle prevented a Forest equaliser. Mark Byrne ran onto Emile Sinclair's pass and beat Lumley only for Wardle, facing his own goal, to head behind via the crossbar from virtually on the line.

Hemmings beat the offside trap but he shot wide of the near post and then Fabrice Kasiama almost profited after a slip by Richard Tait. He took the ball round the keeper but stumbled as he did so and, from the tightest of angles, he succeeded only in rolling the ball across the goal line.

But on 28 minutes Rosa made it two with a delightful chip over Darlow from the left of the Forest goal.

The keeper saved long range efforts from Hemmings and Bennett in quick succession and then he was shown the yellow card after felling Hemmings to the right of the Forest area.

Just before the break James Reid screwed a shot wide.

Half-Time Wolves 2 Forest 3

Twice in the opening minutes of the second period Wanderers went close to increasing their advantage. Davis shrugged off a challenge and forced a fine save from Darlow with a powerful shot, and then Bennett fired the rebound over the bar after Kasiama's goalbound shot struck Tait.

Reid blazed a close range effort over the bar at the other end after a centre from Tait, before Sinclair reduced the arrears in the 63^rd minute shooting past Lumley after Garath McCleary's pass had split the home defence.

Kasiama netted with a swerving volley but the effort was ruled out for offside and then, with the game at the three-quarter point, David Davis replaced Rosa.

After Darlow had made a good stop from Hemmings, the Wolves' goal came under pressure with Lumley making a reflex save from Sinclair and John Dunleavy throwing himself in the way of Byrne's follow-up.

McCleary lifted a shot over the bar from point blank range before the visitors turned the game on its head with two goals in a two minute spell.

Fairclough helped on Reid's centre for Sinclair to level matters with his second of the afternoon, then, in the 80^th minute, Joseph Heath headed home McCleary's cross to put Forest in front.

There was no doubt that the Wolves team, which following Rosa's substitution was made up entirely of Academy and schoolboy players, deserved a share of the spoils. In stoppage time there was a chance for Bennett but, after working a shooting position for himself, he fired wide.

But the Molineux youngsters could feel proud of their efforts despite the result

Wolves: Lumley, Melbourne, Bailey, Salmon (capt), Dunleavy, Wardle, Bennett, Rosa (D. Davis 67), Hemmings, J. Davis (McCone 90), Kasiama.

Unused subs: Woolley, Geurin-Lokonga, Rooney.

Booking; Salmon (83 - foul).

Forest: Darlow, Tait (Sharpe 76), Heath, Power (capt), Kavanagh, Bencherif, McCleary, Byrne, Sinclair, Fairclough (Newbold 90), Reid (Hook 89).

Unused subs: Richardson, Hartmann.

Bookings: Darlow (41 - foul), Power (54 - hand ball), Reid (87 - foul).

Referee: A.S. Watts.

Attendance: 56.