Wolves 0 Brentford 2: Bees pull away from relegation zone with crucial win over high-flyers as Ivan Toney scores again
YOU can never write off Ivan Toney these days.
The Brentford striker spent most of the game looking a subdued figure as part of a clinical display from Thomas Frank’s side.
Then, from nowhere, Toney produced a superb finish to wrap up the points against Wolves at Molineux.
He converted a Vitaly Janelt cross, first time, to secure a result which eases Brentford’s relegation fears.
But it means Toney has now scored three goals in four games since returning from his eight-month ban for breaching betting rules.
Are you watching Gareth Southgate?
Because Toney is making one heck of a claim to make England’s squad for the Euros this summer.
You cannot argue with the form book as Toney aims to make up for lost time in style.
It was Brentford’s first away win since October when they triumphed at Chelsea.
But the result completed a frustrating day for Wolves.
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They had been looking to build on last week’s 4-2 win at Chelsea, but only succeeded in failing to score at home for the first time in a year.
That was against Gary O’Neil’s Bournemouth side.
Plans to put Hwang Hee-Chan on the bench for Wolves had to be shelved when the Korean – back from the Asia Cup – picked up an injury.
O’Neil then lost in-form Matheus Cunha after just 17 minutes.
The club’s joint top scorer, who bagged a hat-trick at Stamford Bridge last week, fell awkwardly as he tried to set up a Wolves attack.
He tried to continue but came off soon afterwards.
That seemed to disrupt Wolves who took some time to get into the game.
But even before that, Brentford were creating the better chances – only for an off-form Neal Maupay to fail to find the net.
The Bees went close again when Nathan Collins was denied by a block on the line from Rayan Ait-Nouri block on the line, and then Mads Roerslev fired over from inside the six-yard box
Maupay broke clear again on the half hour but his weak shot was saved by Sa again.
But Sa was all over the place for Brentford’s opener, 10 minutes before the break.
Norgaard got in ahead of Sa and Craig Dawson to head home Reguilon’s corner for his second goal of the season.
Wolves tried to hit back when and Pedro Neto’s header was saved at point blank range by Bees keeper Mark Flekken, who tipped it on to the post.
But O’Neil’s side started the second half strongly and thought they had hauled themselves back level.
Ait-Nouri provided a superb crossfield pass for Neto who was denied by the post again.
Wolves had the ball in the net after 51 minutes through Craig Dawson’s glancing header from Neto’s cross. But it was ruled out for offside after a VAR check.
Collins then appeared to pull down Wolves’ Pablo Sarabia in the box, but ref Simon Hooper waved away all penalty appeals.
Maupay had a disappointing afternoon and was subbed after 76 minutes, before Toney scored 60 seconds later.
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