Match ends, Wolverhampton Wanderers 3, Huddersfield Town 0.
WolvesWolverhampton Wanderers3HuddersfieldHuddersfield Town0
Benik Afobe scored twice as Wolves won 3-0 for the second straight game to give renewed belief to their Championship promotion credentials.
Kevin McDonald's classily-struck right-foot 20-yard curler gave Wolves the half-time lead against the run of play.
McDonald then freed Adam Le Fondre to square for Afobe to hit a coolly-taken 66th-minute strike.
Afobe was then set free by McDonald to run on and fire the third in the closing minutes.
It could have been more goals for Wolves in a much-improved second-half display as they returned to the Championship's top six, if only temporarily, for the first time since the opening day of the season.
The moment that caused most consternation among the home fans came straight after the second goal when Wolves had a penalty turned down.
| Wolves end Terriers' unbeaten run at Molineux |
|---|
| The last time Wolves beat Huddersfield Town at Molineux was in the golden age of Steve Bull, way back in November 1988. |
| The Tipton Terror scored twice, Andy Mutch and Floyd Streete getting the others in a 4-1 Division Three victory. |
| Since then, the Terriers had not lost in eight visits - and had won the last four of those. |
Le Fondre latched onto Martin Cranie's loose back pass and flicked the ball past Terriers keeper Jed Steer before falling to the turf, but all he got from referee Christopher Kavanagh was a booking for simulation.
Huddersfield were the better side before the break, Mustapha Carayol and Dean Whitehead both forcing saves from home keeper Emiliano Martinez.
It was against the run of play when Wolves went in front, as McDonald exchanged passes with Henry before coolly guiding home from 20 yards - his second goal in successive Saturdays.
Wolves looked a different side after the break and Henry somehow steered a near-post header wide, before Afobe settled any nerves with his first goal in five games.
The former Arsenal trainee struck again late on when he broke onto McDonald's superb through ball for his sixth of the campaign.
Wolves manager Kenny Jackett on Benik Afobe:
"He is the type of player that you want to get on the ball as much as you can.
"From my point of view, I'm continually working out ways that you can get him in the game. If he does get on the ball, if he does get involved in the moves, then I feel the goals will come.
"He has been a big player for us and he has only been here since January (following a £2m move from Arsenal).
"We think he has a really good future at 22 and also he has got his confidence at Wolves, which is what he was looking for when he came here. He has to continue his progress."
Huddersfield manager Chris Powell:
"It certainly wasn't a 3-0 game with what we had in the game.
"But we actually presented them with the goals, especially the second one where we gave it away in a key area, and the third one was a breakaway.
"We felt we could come here and do something and yet again we have got in the final third, but we are just not selecting the right pass or cross and find ourselves losing the game 3-0.
"We needed to hold the ball better and make better decisions. We were not delivering the balls that our strikers and wide men want."
Line-ups
Wolves
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 26E Martínez
- 18Iorfa
- 6Batth
- 30Hause
- 3Golbourne
- 11McDonald
- 19PriceBooked at 70mins
- 7HenrySubstituted forDohertyat 87'minutes
- 10Afobe
- 20OjoBooked at 30minsSubstituted forByrneat 61'minutes
- 29Le FondreBooked at 68minsSubstituted forEdwardsat 83'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Ikeme
- 2Doherty
- 4Edwards
- 12J Wallace
- 23Ebanks-Landell
- 25Byrne
- 48Enobakhare
Huddersfield
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 1Steer
- 14CranieBooked at 20mins
- 12Ward
- 33Lynch
- 3Davidson
- 7Scannell
- 4WhiteheadBooked at 90mins
- 16HuwsSubstituted forHoggat 80'minutes
- 10CarayolSubstituted forWellsat 58'minutes
- 17BunnSubstituted forPatersonat 80'minutes
- 11Miller
Substitutes
- 2Smith
- 5Hudson
- 6Hogg
- 8Paterson
- 21Wells
- 26Allinson
- 29Billing
- Referee:
- Chris Kavanagh
- Attendance:
- 18,166
Match Stats
Home TeamWolvesAway TeamHuddersfield
- Possession
- Home53%
- Away47%
- Shots
- Home14
- Away12
- Shots on Target
- Home8
- Away6
- Corners
- Home6
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home14
- Away13
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Wolverhampton Wanderers 3, Huddersfield Town 0.
Booking
Dean Whitehead (Huddersfield Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Kevin McDonald (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Dean Whitehead (Huddersfield Town).
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Scott Golbourne (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Jonathan Hogg (Huddersfield Town).
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Kevin McDonald (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Dean Whitehead (Huddersfield Town).
Goal!
Goal! Wolverhampton Wanderers 3, Huddersfield Town 0. Benik Afobe (Wolverhampton Wanderers) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Kevin McDonald with a through ball.
Substitution
Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Matt Doherty replaces James Henry.
Post update
Corner, Huddersfield Town. Conceded by Dominic Iorfa.
Post update
Corner, Huddersfield Town. Conceded by Kevin McDonald.
Substitution
Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Dave Edwards replaces Adam Le Fondre.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Ishmael Miller (Huddersfield Town) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Jonathan Hogg.
Post update
Foul by Nathan Byrne (Wolverhampton Wanderers).
Post update
Sean Scannell (Huddersfield Town) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Attempt saved. Joel Lynch (Huddersfield Town) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Ishmael Miller.
Post update
Attempt saved. Nahki Wells (Huddersfield Town) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jonathan Hogg with a through ball.
Substitution
Substitution, Huddersfield Town. Jonathan Hogg replaces Emyr Huws.
