Security Forces FC are the 2024 SKNFA Division 1 Champions after drawing 1-1 against Molineux FC on Friday July 26, 2024 at the National Bank Group of Companies Technical Center in St. Peters.
Dion Dolphin gave Security Forces an early lead in the 3rd minute of the match, but Ronald Williams ensured Molineux were not going down without a fight with a 88th minute goal.
Still, the result was enough to give Security Forces the Division 1 title, with 42 points at the top of the table. Coach of Security Forces Iroy Jeffers lauded his players for the accomplishment. He recalled taking over the team halfway into the season with an unbeaten record, and his experience in guiding them to the title.
“It was a difficult decision to make but after talking to my daughter, she gave me the go ahead to challenge myself. I went (to training) for the first time and saw the players. They are respectful, loving willing to learn, which is the most important thing and everything (took off),” Jeffers said.
Despite winning the title and earning a place in the National Bank Group of Companies Premier League for next season, Jeffers said it will not be easy and they will have to work exceptionally hard.
“In the premier level, its better players, better coaches, better referees. You have to be hungry and learn as quickly as possible,” Jeffers surmised.
Meanwhile, Keith King, the goalkeeping coach for the team, spoke about the work and effort in improving the Security Forces defense ahead of the season. Security Forces conceded only 15 goals all season, less than all the teams in Division 1.
“One thing we tried to focus on is improving defensively. People say goals win championships and if you don’t give up goals, you technically can’t lose. We try to install in the players how important it is to keep the ball out of the back of the net, how important it is to work with each other as a defensive unit and make sure the opponent has a hard task getting past the defensive line,” King disclosed.
Security Forces still has one more match to go before ending the season, which will be played this Tuesday at the Technical Center.
Security Forces FC have been promoted to the SKNFA Premier League after earning a narrow 3-2 win over KFC Trinity/Challengers United on Wednesday at the NBGC Technical Center in St. Peters in SKNFA Division 1 action.
Dion Dolphin, Evansley Fahie and Dennis Phillip were the goal scorers for Security Forces in the 6th, 31st and 58th minutes, respectively. Tyrone Grant and Cavid David led the fight for Trinity/Challengers.
That match was followed by a 2-1 victory for Molineux over 607 Construction Lodge Patriots. Darren Brookes and Ronald Williams got the Molineux goals in the 22nd and 38th minutes, respectively, while Josh Liburd scored the lone goal for Lodge in the 89th minute.
Molineux coach George “Kinta” Gilbert, who previously coached Security Forces, said he just recently took over this team and is looking forward in doing some great work with them.
“I have been working with this time for about maybe a week or so and a lot of work will have to be done with them. But eventually we will get there,” he said. “I am with this team now and we are going to work hard to implement what we want to implement and to become a better team. It’s a work in progress because I just started to work with the team,” Gilbert said.
Wendell Nanton, a player with Lodge, said the team started out flat in the first half, but picked up momentum in the second half.
“We came out flat footed this evening. We are bit short on players in the first half but we maintain to keep our structure and to manage. Nevertheless we, were down 2-0. We came back, scored a goal in the second half. We had opportunities but going forward we have a lot of work to do on the pitch,” he said.
“I guarantee you next season Lodge Patriots will be a better and stronger team going forward,” he added.
In other Division 1 results on Monday: Mantab defeated Conaree Fireball International 4-1. K’Jairn Liburd scored two goals for Mantab in the 19th and 59th minutes while the other goals came from Kimmel French in the 55th minute and Wakamba Warner in the 5th minute of stoppage time. Jolonni Huggins scored the lone goal for Conaree in the 52nd minute.
Meanwhile, Sandy Point FC edged TGE Dieppe Bay Eagles 1-0 on Thursday June 13th. Dequan Joseph scored the winning goal in the 17th minute.
In the night’s earlier match Saddlers United trounced Rivers of Living Water 4-0. The goals were scored by Kurt Mills, E Wattley, Darious Rawlins and Saeed Hanley in the 62nd, 69th, 73rd and 3rd minute of stoppage time respectively. SKNFA Division 1 continues next week.
Round two of the 2024 SKNFA Division 1 season got under way last week with wins for Fast Cash Saddlers United, Jones Group Sandy Point FC, Security Forces FC and Conaree Fireball International.
On Thursday at the NBGC Technical Center in St. Peters, Security Forces drubbed Rivers of Living Water FC 7-0.
Evanslie Fahie scored two goals in the 13th and 37th minutes while the other goas came from Everette Ritchen in the 34th, David Joseph in the 57th, Shane Clarke in the 60th, Ronaldo Blake in the 73rd and Shamar Douglas in the 86th min.
In Thursday’s second match Lodge Patriots drew 1-1 with TGE Dieppe Bay Eagles.
Sair Morton scored for Lodge in the 54th minute, while Jason Phipps equalized for Dieppe Bay in the 84th minute.
After the match, Coach of Lodge Leon Natta-Nelson praised his players for their execution on the pitch.
“I thought tonight, the first game of the second round, a better playing from the team…the movement on the ball and off the ball was wonderful in the first half,” Natta-Nelson said.
He blamed the goal they conceded on lack of focus.
“That has been our demise for the whole season,” he said, while expressing satisfaction with a point. He said the aim now is to beat teams they lost to in round one of the league.
“We had some developmental players who are just in the first and second year in the league. We have seen some improvement and we hope that we can regroup after this second round, we can go into next season but we will focus on one game at a time,” he said.
In the Tuesday games, Conaree Fireballs United secured a 2-1 win over Molineux before Jones Group Sandy Point drubbed KFC/Trinity Challengers United 7-0.
Leslian Dasent gave Conaree the lead in the 49th minute before Kahml Wattley got the equalizer for Molineux with 16 minutes left in normal time.
I-Dee Caines then got the Conaree winner in the 96th minute.
In the second game, goals from Deshawn Collins (7’), Diontre Eddy (15’, 45’) and Jahlyan Burnt (21’) meant Sandy Point went into the halftime interval with a comfortable 4-0 advantage.
They didn’t let up in the second half with goals from Troy Bassue in the 52nd minute and Dequan Joseph in the 68th minute making it 6-0 before Collins got his second goal of the contest in the 81st minute to complete the day’s scoring.
Pep Guardiola says Manchester City's players cannot dine out on their past achievements and must prove themselves all over again in their last four games of the Premier League season, starting against Wolves on Saturday.
The title race remains in City's hands despite Arsenal leading the way by a single point, with Guardiola's men possessing a game in hand as they chase a fourth successive crown.
After welcoming Wolves to the Etihad Stadium, they face back-to-back trips to London to take on Fulham and Tottenham, then host West Ham on the final day.
Guardiola says City – who should have Ederson, Ruben Dias and Phil Foden back on Saturday – cannot assume this title rice will go the same way as others.
"We have to prove it tomorrow against Wolves and then in the next games," Guardiola said.
"We know we have to win and get all 12 points, otherwise it will be difficult because Arsenal are so strong and so consistent. It's difficult to drop points.
"It depends on us. It's just tomorrow and then three games in one week, no more complicated than that to analyse.
"I would love to say what we have done in the past is going to happen this season, but nobody knows."
Wolves, meanwhile, are still eyeing a top-half finish after halting a six-game winless run by beating struggling Luton Town 2-1 at Molineux last week, with goals from Hwang Hee-chan and Toti Gomes.
A spate of injuries saw their European hopes slip away, but with Pedro Neto back in full training alongside Hwang and Matheus Cunha, they could start with their first-choice front three for the first time since October.
Boss Gary O'Neil, who will serve a one-match touchline ban on Saturday, said: "To have all the senior players back and the group starting to look stronger again takes me back to October and how we felt at that moment.
"So we're looking forward to seeing them all back together."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Manchester City – Kevin De Bruyne
De Bruyne has started six Premier League matches against Wolves, recording five goals and five assists against them, though nine of those involvements came at Molineux (five goals, four assists).
The Belgian also laid on two assists against Nottingham Forest last week to move to 110 overall in the Premier League – just one behind second-placed Cesc Fabregas in the all-time rankings.
Wolves – Hwang Hee-chan
Hwang scored 10 Premier League goals before the turn of the year, then went exactly four months without a goal due to international duty and injuries before netting against Luton last week.
Both he and Cunha have 11 Premier League goals this season, and there have only been three previous instances of a player netting more for the club in a single campaign – Steven Fletcher in 2011-12 (12) and Raul Jimenez in both 2018-19 (13) and 2019-20 (17).
MATCH PREDICTION – MANCHESTER CITY WIN
Wolves inflicted City's first defeat of the Premier League season back in September, and they now have the chance to complete just their second top-flight double over them since 1960-61, having previously achieved the feat in 2019-20.
However, City are in ominous form, going unbeaten through their last 19 Premier League games (15 wins, four draws).
They have already enjoyed four unbeaten runs of 20 or more matches in the competition – three of them under Guardiola – and could become just the second team to achieve the feat five times (Manchester United have done so seven times).
All five of Wolves' away Premier League wins this term have either been against either teams starting the day in the relegation zone (two) or versus London clubs (three).
They have lost 18 of their 20 Premier League away games against sides starting the day inside the top two, winning the others at Tottenham (in December 2018) and City (October 2019). The champions have no margin for error, and a slip-up from them looks unlikely at this stage.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Manchester City – 71.2%
Wolves – 9.6%
Draw – 19.2%
Hwang Hee-chan ended his four-month goal drought to help inspire Wolves to a 2-1 victory over relegation-threatened Luton Town at Molineux on Saturday.
Hwang opened the scoring late in the first half at the end of a lightning counterattack, his strike deflecting off Teden Mengi and nestling in the bottom corner.
A clever set-piece routine allowed Wolves to double their lead after 50 minutes as Toti Gomes nodded in from Mario Lemina's cross, though Luton set up a grandstand finish when Carlton Morris fired home.
However, they failed to find an equaliser in the final 10 minutes plus stoppage time and stay 18th, one point adrift of Nottingham Forest in 17th. Wolves, meanwhile, move into the top half with 46 points.
Luton started brightly and Ross Barkley called Jose Sa into action just five minutes in, but the Wolves goalkeeper dived to his right to palm his strike away from danger.
Hwang then made a superb run in behind as Wolves showed their teeth, but he shot down the throat of Thomas Kaminski after latching onto Lemina's throughball.
Luton should have gone ahead after 39 minutes as Jordan Clark teed up Morris, but he could only power his header into the hands of Sa.
They were made to pay just 18 seconds later as Matheus Cunha picked out Hwang inside the box. The Wolves forward cut back onto his right before shooting low, and his deflected effort found its way into the bottom-right corner.
Five minutes after the break, Lemina was found on the edge of the box from a short corner, and his sensational first-time cross allowed Toti to send a bullet header into the net.
Nelson Semedo should have made it three for Gary O’Neil’s side as he found himself one-on-one with Kaminski, but the Luton goalkeeper rushed off his line to make a strong stop.
Luton pulled one back after 80 minutes as Alfie Doughty’s cross was nodded back into a dangerous area by Reece Burke, and Morris pounced to volley home.
However, Wolves clung on through six added minutes to end their six-match winless run.
Hwang ends long wait
It’s four months to the day since Hwang last found the net in the Premier League, with injuries and international duty frustrating him since he scored twice against Brentford on December 27th.
He looked back to something approaching his best on Saturday, working the channels effectively and settling Wolves' nerves with his opener, which came after a strong start from Luton.
The victory takes Wolves into the top half ahead of Bournemouth facing Brighton on Sunday, though they remain some seven points adrift of the top seven and a potential European place.
Luton’s survival hopes dented
Luton could have climbed out of the relegation zone with three points against Wolves, but they remain in 18th place, one point behind Forest and just one clear of Burnley.
Some soft defending cost the Hatters on Saturday, and they have kept just two clean sheets in their 35 Premier League games this campaign.
With just three games remaining, Rob Edwards will be desperately hoping his side can turn things around after a tricky run, their defeat at Molineux making it three losses in a row.
Antoine Semenyo scored the only goal of the game as 10-man Bournemouth moved into the top half of the Premier League by beating Wolves 1-0.
Semenyo struck after 37 minutes to deservedly give the Cherries all three points at Molineux, where Wolves had two goals disallowed.
Hwang Hee-chan and Max Kilman thought they had scored equalisers, with the latter netting in the final moments of stoppage time, but Wolves' luck was out.
Milos Kerkez saw red for Bournemouth late on, but they held firm to inflict defeat on their former boss Gary O'Neil, whose Wolves team sit 12th.
Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa was forced into action twice as Bournemouth started well, pushing Semenyo's deflected effort wide before clawing away Marco Senesi's header from the resulting corner.
The hosts nearly gifted the Cherries an opener when Tommy Doyle lost possession inside his own half and Dominic Solanke was played in on goal, but Kilman came up with a vital intervention.
Wolves' first attempt on goal came when Ryan Christie was dispossessed inside his own half, but Mark Travers, making his maiden league start of the season, was able to tip behind Pablo Sarabia’s curling effort.
But the Cherries deservedly went ahead before half-time when Semenyo finished coolly following a free-flowing attacking move.
Bournemouth nearly doubled their lead inside the first 10 minutes of the second half when Justin Kluivert deflected Senesi's shot towards goal, forcing Sa into a smart reaction save.
Wolves thought they had an equaliser when Hwang headed home from Nelson Semedo's cross, but the goal was disallowed following a VAR review as Matheus Cunha was deemed to have committed a foul in the build-up.
Kerkez was sent off, with VAR confirming the onfield decision, for a rash lunge on Matt Doherty in the 79th minute, but Wolves were unable to make their numerical advantage count, with Kilman adjudged to have strayed marginally offside when he swept home at the death.
Toothless Wolves seeing their season fade out
Wolves boss O'Neil could not complete the league double against his former employers as his side's winless streak stretched to six league games.
Even with the returning quartet of Semedo, Sarabia, Mario Lemina and Rayan Ait-Nouri, Wolves struggled to get going as an attacking force.
Sarabia passed up the chance to connect with Hwang's cross before Mario Lemina had a shot deflect over and Ait-Nouri curled an effort wide in their only show of attacking intent in the first half.
They may have had two goals disallowed, but it was all in all a rather toothless attacking display, and Wolves' European hopes have swiftly drifted away.
Cherries on course for record points tally
Bournemouth ended their three-match winless run, and it was ultimately an excellent first-half display that was crucial in getting the job done.
Even Kerkez's recklessness late on was not enough to put them off course, and they now need only two points from their remaining four Premier League fixtures to surpass their record tally of 46 set in the 2016-17 season.
Arsenal recovered from a horror week by returning to the top of the Premier League with a 2-0 win at Wolves.
The Gunners’ endured potentially season-defining back-to-back defeats as they lost to Aston Villa in the league last Sunday before being knocked out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
But they returned to the summit of the Premier League thanks to goals from Leandro Trossard and Martin Odegaard at Molineux, moving a point above Manchester City, who have a game in hand.
Pep Guardiola’s side were in FA Cup semi-final action on Saturday and, with the Gunners facing Chelsea on Tuesday, they could be four points clear of City by the time the reigning champions next play against Brighton on Thursday.
That would be a big swing in momentum after what was diagnosed as a seemingly terminal defeat against Villa last week, with Liverpool, who also play twice before City are in action again, currently three points behind.
Mikel Arteta’s men were good value for their Saturday night win, even if Trossard’s opener had an air of good fortune about it and then having to wait until injury time to kill the game.
Wolves are crippled by injuries, including most of their key attacking players, but competed well and a shock result might have been possible had Joao Gomes’ first-half shot gone in instead of hitting the post.
Gary O’Neil’s men are now six games without a win in all competitions, but with home fixtures coming up against Bournemouth and Luton they will still be eyeing a top-half finish.
Arsenal did not have long to stew on that midweek defeat in Germany and were soon on top at Molineux.
Trossard was involved from the off, causing trouble down the left and his cross was tamely headed straight to Jose Sa by Bukayo Saka before the Belgian teed up Declan Rice who whistled a low shot just off target.
Trossard was then on the end of the supply line when he was found by Ben White, but he missed his kick in the middle of the penalty area.
For all Arsenal’s domination, it was Wolves who came closest to opening the scoring on the half-hour.
Gomes got the better of Jakub Kiwior down the right, advanced into the area and thundered in a shot which David Raya did well to divert onto the post.
Arsenal survived that scare and took the lead on the stroke of half-time.
Matt Doherty was weak in the challenge with Gabriel Jesus and the Brazilian set it back for Trossard, whose sliced effort went in off the post for his side’s first goal in two and a half games.
Arsenal were able to manage the contest effectively in the second half.
Wolves were so short of attacking options that midfielder Mario Lemina came on as a striker and the hosts upped the ante in the final 15 minutes.
But unsurprisingly, they were unable to create anything clear-cut as they probed for a leveller.
And Arsenal, who have not conceded in a Premier League away game since January, killed the game deep into injury time when Odegaard converted from an acute angle at the second attempt to take the three points and top spot.
Coventry stunned Premier League Wolves with two goals in injury time to seal an amazing 3-2 win and book a first FA Cup semi-final appearance since 1987.
The Sky Blues went on to win the competition that year in one of the most famous finals ever and they kept their hopes of another unlikely triumph this season alive after a remarkable climax at Molineux.
It looked like they would be leaving with broken hearts after two goals in the final 10 minutes from Rayan Ait-Nouri and Hugo Bueno overturned Ellis Simms’ opener and seemed to set a Wembley date for Wolves.
But the Championship side were not done and in nine minutes of time added on they turned the quarter-final tie around again, with Simms grabbing a second and then Haji Wright earning himself folklore by grabbing the winner.
It was a dramatic ending to a breathless derby, which the Championship side probably deserved to win.
Coventry survived a couple of early scares as Mario Lemina and Nelson Semedo missed chances, but having absorbed the pressure, the visitors missed a golden chance of their own to go ahead and Simms will not want reminding of it.
After Jose Sa had palmed Kasey Palmer’s shot into the path of Jake Bidwell, the wing-back set up a simple tap-in from close range after rolling the ball across goal, but Simms got his feet in a mess and somehow put his shot straight at Sa.
The momentum had suddenly switched and two more glorious chance came for Coventry before half-time as Simms played in Milan van Ewijk, who looked prime to score until Sa made a fine block and the Wolves keeper was grateful to an unmarked Palmer for cushioning the ball straight at him.
The Sky Blues finally made the breakthrough eight minutes after the restart as Simms made amends for his earlier howler.
Liam Kitching headed a free-kick back across goal to the far post where Simms appeared to bundle the ball in with his arm.
But it survived a lengthy four-minute VAR check to give the travelling supporters a second chance to celebrate.
They should have been celebrating another goal soon after as their side bombarded Wolves’ goal.
Sa had to make a double save, first keeping out Wright’s effort with his feet and then parrying away Josh Eccles’ effort from the rebound.
After Sa then rolled the ball to Matt Doherty, the Republic of Ireland wing-back was dispossessed in a dangerous area and Palmer put a shot agonisingly wide.
They could have done with one of those chances going in as the inevitable Wolves onslaught came in the final 20 minutes.
Joao Gomes saw a vicious effort tipped onto the post by Bradley Collins and then Ait-Nouri hit the other post with a header soon after.
But Wolves remained ragged at the other end and only a one-man show from Sa stopped Coventry from killing the tie.
The Portugal keeper pulled off three big saves to keep the score at 1-0, palming away efforts from Simms and Callum O’Hare and then denying Kitching at close range.
And he was rewarded as Wolves levelled in the 83rd minute when Joel Latibeaudiere could not clear a cross and Ait-Nouri slammed home the loose ball.
The writing appeared on the wall for Coventry as Ait-Nouri surged forward, playing in Bueno, who made no mistake.
But in the sixth minute of time added on Simms headed home at the far post after Bobby Thomas had flicked on Bidwell’s cross.
There was time for more drama as in the 10th minute Simms teed up Wright to steer Coventry to a famous victory.
Wolves’ bid for European football was boosted by a 2-1 victory over Fulham, but it came at the expense of more injury problems.
Jean-Ricner Bellegarde limped off with just over 10 minutes gone while Pedro Neto, who had been passed fit after feeling his hamstring last weekend, pulled up just before half-time clutching the back of his left thigh.
But the hosts made Fulham pay for missed opportunities, with Rayan Ait-Nouri scoring his first goal since December 2022 in the 52nd minute and Nelson Semedo adding a deflected second before Alex Iwobi grabbed a very late consolation.
The result lifts Gary O’Neil’s side up to eighth in the Premier League table in the week when it was revealed Wolves will open contract talks with their manager this summer.
Wolves’ strong form was halted by a 3-0 loss to Newcastle last time out while Fulham, looking to win at Molineux for the first time since 1985, were chasing a third Premier League victory in a row.
O’Neil was boosted by the availability of goalkeeper Jose Sa, who went off at half-time last weekend, but Craig Dawson was injured so Santiago Bueno came into the side along with Joao Gomes and 19-year-old striker Nathan Fraser, given a first start for the club.
Fulham’s good run meant the returning Joao Palhinha had to settle for a place on the bench.
With Wolves fans screaming for a foul on Fraser, Fulham went down the other end in the sixth minute and created the first chance of the game – Andreas Pereira’s shot from wide on the left pushed away by Sa.
A tight game was cut open in the 25th minute by an excellent through ball from Iwobi for Harry Wilson but, with only the keeper to beat, he opted to shoot with the outside of his left foot and sent his effort wide.
At the other end, a one-two between Ait-Nouri and Mario Lemina nearly put the full-back through before a heavy touch allowed Bernd Leno to block.
Fulham had their second golden opportunity in the 35th minute when a spell of pressure ended with Harrison Reed sending a ball across the goal for Tosin Adarabioyo, who saw his shot bounce off the top of the bar.
It was Fulham threatening again at the start of the second half, Wilson sending a curling shot just past the post.
But the first goal went the way of the home team, as substitute Toti seized on a weak header by Calvin Bassey from a Wolves free-kick and teed up Ait-Nouri, who had pushed further forward following Neto’s departure, for a confident finish high into the net.
Fulham boss Marco Silva sent on Willian and Tom Cairney for a disappointed-looking Reed and Pereira but their pursuit of an equaliser was leaving gaps at the back and Wolves grabbed their second in the 67th minute.
VAR took a look but Fraser, who had worked tirelessly throughout, was just onside when he ran onto Gomes’ pass. His attempted cross was blocked but Gomes back-heeled the ball to Semedo, whose shot beat Leno via a big deflection off Cairney.
Fulham came agonisingly close to pulling one back with 10 minutes to go, Sa pulling off an acrobatic save to deny substitute Palhinha and Max Kilman heading Rodrigo Muniz’s follow-up off the line, before Wolves old boy Adama Traore’s strong run and shot drew another stop from Sa.
Referee Tony Harrington then lost patience with visiting manager Silva and showed him a yellow card, adding to a frustrating afternoon that was barely improved by Iwobi’s stabbed effort with almost the last kick of the game.
Mario Lemina fired Wolves into the FA Cup quarter final after a nervy 1-0 win over Brighton.
The hosts reached the last eight for just the second time in 21 years and the first time since 2019, when they made the semi-finals.
There is now a path to Wembley for O’Neil’s side, who will host Championship side Coventry in the next round, but they lived dangerously at Molineux.
Facundo Buonanotte wasted a fine opening and goalkeeper Jason Steele, up for a late corner, missed the chance to take the tie extra time.
But last season’s semi-finalists – who dominated for long spells – could not find a way back from conceding the winner after just 77 seconds.
Brighton – missing eight regular starters including Solly March, Joao Pedro, Kaoru Mitoma and James Milner – were already underdogs even before going behind early.
Jean-Ricner Bellegarde’s fine turn sent him scampering away from Jan Paul van Hecke down the left and Steele could only flap at his deflected cross.
Lemina and Pervis Estupinan arrived at the far post, with the Wolves midfielder reacting first to slide the ball in at the second attempt.
But, much like Sunday’s 1-0 Premier League win over Sheffield United, the hosts failed to build on their lead.
Brighton recovered from the shock of the early goal and, with Simon Adingra and Jakub Moder shooting off target, got a grip of the game.
There was little suggestion Wolves would add to their lead, although Steele had to be alert to clear at Bellegarde’s feet after he raced on to Igor’s weak backpass.
It was the Seagulls who created the best openings and they should have levelled seven minutes before the break when Buonanotte planted a free header wide from Estupinan’s cross.
Roberto De Zerbi clearly sensed a way back into the tie and introduced Danny Welbeck at the break, with Brighton continuing to press.
Lewis Dunk nodded wide and Wolves’ frustrations grew when they lost Hwang Hee-chan and Lemina to injury.
Yet the changes, with Pedro Neto and Pablo Sarabia called on, briefly gave the hosts much-needed zip even if they failed to add to a slender lead.
The visitors, though, regrouped again and pinned Wolves back without testing Jose Sa as the game entered its final 15 minutes.
Julio Enciso drilled wide from 25 yards, more in frustration than with a belief he would score, and Welbeck nodded over.
Steele, up for a last-gasp corner, should have taken the tie to extra time but sliced wide from six yards as Wolves squeezed through.
David Moyes admitted Kalvin Phillips was not up to speed after he endured a nightmare West Ham debut by gifting Bournemouth a goal with almost his first touch in claret and blue.
The England midfielder, whose loan switch from Manchester City was arguably the most high-profile deal in this transfer window, inadvertently set up Dominic Solanke to score with less than three minutes gone.
Fortunately for West Ham, a James Ward-Prowse penalty in the second-half was enough to secure a 1-1 draw.
“It’s not a goal we concede too often and it gave them a leg up,” said Moyes.
“Then we had to perform and we weren’t at a level to do that. It wasn’t as good as it should have been.
“Kalvin’s fine, he got best part of 70 minutes in. I said before we might have to go a bit gently with him.
“I thought as the game went on he was starting to get better, but he was a bit slow at the start and in getting into the way we play.
“I’m happy with a point but not happy with the performance. We got back in the game and I didn’t think we performed well after that either.
“It looked as if we had had 10 days off tonight, like we’d had a holiday, the players looked leggy.”
Moyes was annoyed that West Ham, for the second time this season, had to play on transfer deadline day.
The Hammers boss had planned to name midfielder Pablo Fornals on the bench, only to have to change his plans after the club agreed a fee with Real Betis.
Fornals was still in the tunnel at the final whistle with Moyes in the dark over his future less than an hour before the deadline.
“It’s strange day to have a game and also the deadline,” he added: “We were planning to have Pablo involved tonight. He might still be here, who knows?
“I think it could have been wrapped up last night. It’s our own fault in this country we do so many deals in the last day. This window has been a really slow burner and we’ve had it on a game night.”
West Ham equalised on the hour when Mohammed Kudus was fouled by Lloyd Kelly and Ward-Prowse slammed home the spot-kick.
Cherries boss Andoni Iraola said: “There is a part when you have to value the point, but I think if any team deserved to win today it was Bournemouth.
“We were 1-0 up and had very good chances but if you don’t punish these teams it can happen.”
Kobbie Mainoo’s dramatic late winner fired Manchester United to a stunning 4-3 win at Wolves as Marcus Rashford shook off any Belfast blues.
The 18-year-old midfielder’s first Premier League goal shocked Molineux in stoppage time after Pedro Neto’s leveller looked to have snatched a point for the hosts just two minutes earlier.
Pablo Sarabia’s penalty and Max Kilman’s close-range strike had given Wolves – who initially came back from 2-0 and 3-1 down – hope either side of Scott McTominay’s second-half header.
Rashford had earlier scored and helped assist Rasmus Hojlund after being disciplined by boss Erik ten Hag.
He called in sick on Friday and was omitted from the squad for Sunday’s FA Cup win at Newport having reportedly gone drinking in Belfast last week.
But it was an excellent comeback from Rashford, with United – who climb to seventh in the Premier League – inflicting Wolves’ first home defeat since September to end their seven-game unbeaten run.
Rashford was reportedly doing tequila shots during his Belfast bender and those in charge of the music on Thursday clearly saw the funny side, playing the Terrorvision hit Tequila before kick-off.
But the England forward enjoys Molineux and last season the 26-year-old was benched for being late for a team meeting before coming on to score the winner.
This time he took just four-and-a-half minutes to start his new redemption arc.
When Bruno Fernandes dummied Alejandro Garnacho’s low delivery Wolves were in trouble, and it got worse when Hojlund held the ball up and teed up Rashford on the edge of the box.
The striker then curled a fine effort beyond Jose Sa for his third goal in his last four games.
United, with two wins in their previous eight league matches, belied their poor form with an energetic start and Casemiro shot wide.
Wolves, though, managed to find some momentum – with Matheus Cunha threatening – only for the visitors to snuff out any recovery with a second goal after 23 minutes.
Again, Rashford was involved when he collected Garnacho’s pass and slipped in the overlapping Luke Shaw to deliver a low cross for Hojlund to bundle in ahead of Craig Dawson.
It sparked the United fans into chanting ‘Rashford’s on the p***’ as they cheekily saluted the striker.
Casemiro nodded Fernandes’ free-kick wide and Hojlund almost embarrassed Sa when he charged down his clearance, only for the ball to rebound wide.
The openings kept coming with Raphael Varane firing over and Hojlund’s celebrations were cut short a minute before half-time when he had a goal disallowed by an offside flag.
In stoppage time Casemiro also had a header ruled out and the one-way traffic continued after the break when Dawson blocked Fernandes’ effort.
It had been Wolves’ worst display of the season but they almost pulled a goal back after 49 minutes, only for Lisandro Martinez to clear Kilman’s header off the line.
Yet United remained on top and Wolves survived when Toti lost possession to Garnacho but Sa spared his blushes by saving Holjund’s effort.
There looked no way back for the hosts when Andre Onana saved Dawson’s deflected strike with his face but they grabbed a lifeline after 71 minutes when Casemiro clipped Neto in the box.
Sarabia buried the penalty – after a long VAR check – but United hit back just four minutes later when McTominay, with his first touch, nodded in Fernandes’ corner.
The hosts refused to go quietly, though, and Kilman hooked in from close range to make it 3-2 with five minutes left after Dawson’s shot was blocked.
There was belief Wolves could level and they did in the fifth minute of stoppage time when Neto fired in on the break.
But a chaotic ending was capped by Mainoo’s stunner when he rode two challenges and curled into the bottom corner in the seventh minute of added time.
Wolves set up an FA Cup derby showdown with West Brom after a battling extra-time win over Brentford.
Matheus Cunha’s penalty sent Gary O’Neil’s side through to the fourth round as the hosts eventually sealed a 3-2 replay victory at Molineux.
Wolves hit back through Nelson Semedo and Nathan Fraser in normal time after Nathan Collins and Neal Maupay twice gave the visitors the lead.
But Cunha’s extra-time spot kick booked a Black Country derby at the Hawthorns, the first in three years, on January 28.
The Bees will be left with a blank weekend but will at least have Ivan Toney available having missed him during a barren winter, during which they have won once since the start of November.
The striker completes his eight-month ban for betting breaches on Wednesday.
The 1-1 draw in the initial tie ended a five-game losing streak for the Bees and confidence still looked low until they scored against the run of play after 13 minutes.
Wolves had been in the ascendancy but were caught when Kristoffer Ajer wriggled goalside of Matt Doherty.
His fierce effort was parried by Jose Sa but, when the ball was played back in, Maupay’s shot was blocked and Collins bundled the ball in from six yards.
It was part redemption for Collins who endured a nightmare against his former club in the Premier League last month, gifting them three goals in a 4-1 defeat.
It failed to deflate Wolves, though, and they went close to a leveller after half an hour.
Cunha cross found the unmarked Semedo and, with Thomas Strakosha stranded, the defender’s shot was blocked by Brentford’s massed ranks on the line.
The ball ran for Pablo Sarabia but he could only put his effort into the side netting.
Yet the hosts did not have to wait long for a leveller six minutes later when Semedo reached Cunha’s flighted cross, his header was parried by Strakosha but he had the easiest of tasks of tapping in the rebound.
It should have given Wolves the extra momentum but they were behind again six minutes after the break.
Keane Lewis-Potter’s cross caused problems on the edge of the box and when the ball ran to Maupay he smashed in high from eight yards. The striker was initially ruled offside but, after a two-minute VAR check, the goal was given.
Maupay has scored just four goals this season – and only five since February 2022 – with two coming against Wolves after his strike in the original game.
Brentford were dreaming of the fourth round, which they had only gone beyond once since 2006, and Mikkel Damsgaard curled a free kick at Sa.
But the tie continued to twist and Wolves levelled again with 18 minutes left when substitute Fraser, on for just three minutes, drilled into the corner.
A minute later the forward should have put the hosts ahead only for Strakosha to pull off a wonderful close-range stop.
From then extra time loomed and Sa turned Shandon Baptiste’s effort onto the post soon after the restart.
But Wolves snatched a deserved win in stoppage time of the first period when Cunha converted from the spot after Pedro Neto had been tripped.
Chelsea slumped to a third defeat in four Premier League games as second-half goals from Mario Lemina and Matt Doherty earned Wolves a deserved 2-1 victory at Molineux.
Lemina headed in unmarked from Pablo Sarabia’s corner early in the second period, just reward after Gary O’Neil’s side had weathered early pressure and the hosts had spurned a host of chances, most glaringly from Raheem Sterling.
Chelsea laboured to find a way back, but as so often this season failed to find the key pass in the final third, with Cole Palmer noticeably out of sorts.
Then in stoppage time and with the visitors committed forward, Wolves broke and Hugo Bueno crossed for Doherty to take advantage of a poor clearance to slam home a second.
Substitute Christopher Nkunku headed his first Chelsea goal in the dying minutes, but Mauricio Pochettino’s side slipped to a third away league defeat on the spin.
Armando Broja spurned the game’s first opening. After Sterling fed Malo Gusto down the right, his low cross into the box arrived perfectly at the foot of the Albanian, playing as a lone striker with Nicolas Jackson moved to the wing. Looking to shoot first time, Broja kicked at fresh air and the chance was gone.
Sterling was Chelsea’s clearest danger in the first half, running at Wolves down either flank and pitching inviting deliveries. The best of them fell to Jackson who had found space, but as the ball dropped, his touch failed to match his movement and the pass squirmed beneath his foot and away.
After half an hour, it was the turn of his team-mates to vent their anger towards the England international. Sterling did brilliantly to harry and dispossess Joao Gomes, Wolves’ last man, who dithered on the ball deep in his own half. With the defence stranded upfield, Sterling advanced on goal with Jackson and Palmer wide open beside him. Either player would have had a tap-in; instead, Sterling inexplicably went alone and hit a weak shot straight at Jose Sa.
Wolves’ best chances of the half came in the closing seconds, first when Sarabia fired just wide from the edge of the box via a deflection, then Hee Chan Hwang raced clear of Levi Colwill from a ball over the top and lashed over.
They began the second half with similar urgency, Gomes hitting a shot that nicked off Lesley Ugochukwu and grazed the post before defender Toti got forward from the back and drew an outstanding point-blank save from Chelsea’s stand-in goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic.
It was a warning the visitors did not heed and the goal moments later was an almost carbon copy of Toti’s chance. Sarabia’s corner dropped into the heart of the Chelsea penalty area, but despite the obvious danger no one in blue jumped or moved to attack the ball.
That left Lemina with a simple header, climbing above the grounded Ugochukwu to nod towards the back post and in beyond the stranded Petrovic.
Pochettino sent on Nkunku for his Premier League debut, with the ineffectual Broja departing. He nearly offered Chelsea instant reprieve, denied on the goal line by Toti, who gratefully booted clear.
Sterling then went close again, set up by Palmer on the right after Nkunku had picked him out only for an heroic last-ditch block from Craig Dawson diverting the ball over Sa’s crossbar. The balance of the game was tipping in Chelsea’s favour.
Their growing confidence led to their undoing. Three minutes into added time, Bueno broke down the left, Benoit Badiashile’s attempted clearance was atrocious and Doherty crashed it home to take the roof of Molineux.
Nkunku headed in from Sterling’s cross minutes later, but barely any Chelsea fans had stayed to see it.
Steve Cooper dismissed fears about losing his job as pressure mounts on the Nottingham Forest boss.
Forest were hammered 5-0 at Fulham on Wednesday – a fourth straight Premier League defeat – which left them six points above the drop zone.
The former Swansea manager accepts his position will be under scrutiny – with former Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui thought to be a serious contender if he leaves – but ahead of Saturday’s trip to Molineux Cooper insisted he cannot consider the sack.
He said: “I don’t think like that. That is not a good way to think, it is like saying to a player ‘you have to play well or you will not play again’ – it is not a thought process I believe in using.
“We are disappointed with results and last night’s performance. More than ever you have to show belief and character and what you stand for.
“There are going to be questions and stories, I respect that as it is the life of a football manager.
“At the same time you have to stay honed in on your day’s work and if I let anything else creep in I am not giving 100 per cent to the job and that is what I want to do.”
Cooper, who took Forest back to the Premier League for the first time in 23 years in 2022, said after the hammering at Craven Cottage that he did not deserve the backing from the fans he received as he left the pitch.
He he also refused to blame his players for their showing on Wednesday after doubles from Alex Iwobi, Raul Jimenez and a Tom Cairney strike sunk the visitors.
Cooper told a press conference: “I would never split myself from the players. We are a collective, it’s not about me getting let down, it’s the supporters who were let down by all of us – and that starts with me.”
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