ALBION 3 WOLVES 2

 

Ferdi Kadioglu went on as substitute and scored what proved to be the winner as Albion made Carabao Cup progress.

The Turkey international netted from close range late on to secure a third-round success which was more fraught than it should have been.

Superb first-half strikes from Carlos Baleba and Simon Adingra appeared to have put the Seagulls well in control.

But Wolves replied late in the first half and netted even later in the second to keep nerves on edge.

Albion’s win was also down to a stunning goal-line clearance by Jack Hinshelwood when his side were 2-1 up and wobbling.

Albion made eight changes to the starting XI which kicked off against Ipswich on Saturday but there were perhaps few surprises.

Among those who had opportunities to impress and build up game time were Jakub Moder, Pervis Estupinan and Julio Enciso while Evan Ferguson started for the first time in six months.

Wolves made ten changes to their most recent league XI, Joao Gomes the only survivor from the side who went ahead against Newcastle before losing.

Albion made probably their brightest start to a game so far this season and it brought the first shot of the contest.

Yakuba Minteh played a pass into the path of Ferguson, who shot low at keeper Jose Sa.

Rodrigo Gomes then looked to counter and Moder chased hard before making a good tackle. The crowd loved that.

But they loved what was to follow even more.

Baleba won the ball off Gomes 25 yards out, worked it on to his left foot and thumped an unstoppable left-foot shot which curled inside the far post.

The goal was spectacular and so was the somersaulting, dancing celebration which followed.

Then goalkeeper Sa had to produce quick work to evade Ferguson and Minteh after being given a fierce back pass.

Albion really should then have been two up.

There was more nice build-up play and the ball was worked into Ferguson. He turned superbly and angled a low shot past Sa before Minteh followed up to touch it home - but was flagged offside.

The big question was did he need to touch it in? Was the ball rolling into the net or just wide?

It was hard to tell on the replay but maybe we could give Minteh the benefit of the doubt.

But, even then, did he need to be offside to apply that final touch?

Albion did make it 2-0, though, on 31 minutes with another high quality finish from just outside the box as Adingra cut in from the left and found the far bottom corner.

The hosts looked in control but Wolves had a lifeline just before the break when Goncalo Guedes, who had earlier headed over and forced Steele into an alert tip-over, this time found the net from Matt Doherty’s cut-back with a sidefoot finish, which might have flicked off Adam Webster on its way past the keeper.

Clearly buoyed by that moment, Wolves could well have been level ten seconds into the second half.

They played Rodrigo Gomes in behind Hinshelwood and his low shot was blocked by Steele, who was captaining the hosts.

Albion had gone off the boil. Hinshelwood was then booked for a foul on Rodrigo Gomes.

Steele had to make a good save at the feet of Pablo Sarabia after Guedes got to the byline, behind Estupinan, and pulled the ball back.

Danny Welbeck and Mats Wieffer went on for Ferguson and Baleba.

Ferguson had enjoyed a good first half but his last act was to be booked for a foul.

Wolves sent on three subs of their own and one of them, Nelson Semedo, would have forced an own goal but for brilliant work by Hinshelwood.

Semdo’s low cross was pushed by Steele against Webster and was bouncing in.

Hinshelwood saw the danger, reacted quickly and slid in to prod the ball off the line as it was either going to find the net on its own or with a touch from Rodrigo Gomes, who was following up.

Albion, who sent on Yasin Ayari for Moder, were struggling, although Sa had to grab a curler from Adingra.

But then their in-game changes paid off as they wrapped up the tie.

Welbeck, who had been causing problems, raced on to to a pass by Adingra. His shot was parried by Sa but Kadioglu had followed up and prodded home the rebound with his left foot.

Adingra almost added a fourth before, going into added time, Wolves pulled a goal back through Tommy Doyle after a terrible pass by Steele.

Albion: Steele; Hinshelwood, Webster, Igor, Estupinan; Moder (Ayari 72), Baleba (Wieffer 63); Minteh (Kadioglu 82), Enciso (Lamptey 82), Adingra; Ferguson (Welbeck 63). Subs: Verbruggen, Veltman, Dunk, Mitoma.

Wolves: Sa; Doherty, Bueno, Pond, Lima (Semedo 64); J.Gomes (Lemina 64), Doyle; Hwang (Cunha 71), Sarabia (Forbs 63), R.Gomes; Guedes (Larsen 82). Subs: King, Dawson, Andre, Cundle, Cunha.

Referee: John Brooks.