Wolverhampton Wanderers 0
Town 0
The Town defence held firm to continue their pre-season unbeaten with a goalless draw in the rain at Molineux.
Against opponents the Hatters will face at Kenilworth Road in September in the Premier League, Rob Edwards’ side were full value for the draw and could have snatched a victory if Elijah Adebayo’s strike in the second half wasn’t ruled out for offside.
Wolves pushed late for a winner – only to be denied by a series of excellent saves by Matt Macey in the Town goal, which ensured a fourth game without defeat since pre-season began.
The hosts began on top without seriously testing Macey, Matheus Nunes’ surge into the box saw the winger flash low shot across the face of goal that went past the post on 10 minutes but in truth neither side were troubling either goalkeeper in the opening 20 minutes.
But home side had the game’s first real chance on 27 minutes when Sasa Kalajdzic ghosted into the Town penalty area to direct a volley wide of the target which for all the world seemed 1-0 to the majority inside Molineux.
Tom Lockyer blocked a shot from Matt Doherty on 31 minutes but after that chance the remainder of the first half belonged to the Town.
On 39 minutes they created their first chance. Ryan Giles, fresh from signing from Wolves last week, curled in a dangerous right-wing corner that Mads Andersen headed over the crossbar.
Buoyed by that, the Hatters grew in confidence going forward and three minutes later, a Giles cross from the left caused confusion in the Wolves penalty area but neither Carlton Morris or Andersen could turn home the loose ball.
As the rain continued to fall, as did chances for the Town – Lockyer did brilliantly to win the ball and pass the ball forward out of defence to set Giles racing away down the left. His cross was half-cleared into the path of Morris who saw his drive from the edge of the box blocked.
Then, moments before the break, Lockyer got a crucial touch on a pass to take the ball off the head of the dangerous Kalajdzic as half-time arrived.
Five minutes after the restart the Town should have been behind when Kalajdzic blazed way over the bar from eight yards after being found free by Nunes’ right-wing pass.
Wolves pressure continued. Silva crafted a chance from nothing with a well-hit drive that screamed over Macey’s crossbar on 53 minutes.
Five minutes later the Town thought they were ahead – only to be denied by the offside flag of the linesman. Giles’ wonderful low left-wing cross was met first-time by Adebayo but his great first-time finish was sadly chalked off.
But back came Wolves. Hee Chan Hwang failed to get a shot away when well-placed and on the hour Macey was called into action for the first time to beat away a drive by Fabio Silva.
More work for Macey followed as time ticked past the hour. The Town stopper comfortably gathered Hwang’s shot before using his feet to good effect to divert a Silva effort wide.
The Town defence held firm again to keep out Wolves and on 68 minutes both sides made wholesale changes, with Rob Edwards making six substitutions.
The first chance after the raft of subs fell to Wolves when Matheus Cunha saw his shot blocked by Lockyer before John McAtee’s run and shot was fielded by Dan Bentley in the Wolves goal.
It should have been 1-0 to the hosts with eight minutes left on the clock when Macey tipped over Pablo Sarabia’s header from point-blank range following a wonderful cross from Pedro Neto. Macey then gathered a half-chance from Toti that followed from the corner.
Macey was called into action with four minutes left to deny Sarabia another chance from close range and with a minute left fine defending from Chiedozie Ogbene denied the hosts a final chance and that was that.
With more minutes in the legs, it’s off to Germany next on Saturday for two friendlies against Bochum of the Bundesliga.
We’ll see you there if you’re making the trip. If you’re not, the next time we play on British soil, it’s time for the Premier League.
Town: Macey; Kaboré (sub Ogbene 68), Giles (sub Doughty 68), Andersen, Lockyer, Bell (sub Potts 68); Nakamba (sub Campbell 75), Mpanzu (sub Berry 75), Chong (sub Clarke 68); Morris (Woodrow 68), Adebayo (sub McAtee 68).
Subs not used: Horlick, Francis-Clarke, Odell-Bature, Johnson.