Wolves 2 Burnley 3: Winless hosts still rooted to bottom of the table as last gasp Foster goal kills off comeback bid
LYLE Foster struck in the fourth minute of added time to crank up the pressure on Molineux boss Vitor Pereira.
The Clarets’ substitute rolled the ball past Sam Johnstone as Wolves’ wait for a win was extended to nine games.
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Lyle Foster grabbed a last-gasp winner for BurnleyCredit: PA
Wolves are rooted to the bottom without a winCredit: Getty
Burnley’s win lifts them out of the relegation zoneCredit: PA
The forward produced a delicate finish to ruin what had been a gritty fightback by the hosts that had put them within sight of a deserved point.
But Hannibal Mejbri was alert to Jean-Ricner Bellegarde’s misplaced ball and threaded an inch-perfect pass into the feet of his colleague who finished with aplomb.
It gave Burnley their first victory on their travels and made it back-to-back wins following their triumph over Leeds last week.
The reaction from the home stands was one of anger at the final whistle – as Wolves fought back valiantly after falling two goals behind.
The embattled Portuguese had been staring down a barrel of discontent as Scott Parker’s men raced into a two-goal lead inside the opening half-hour.
Rumblings of discontent were sweeping down from the South Bank at the lacklustre showing from the hosts as they went in search of their first victory at the ninth attempt.
But Jorgen Strand Larsen’s penalty gave them a lifeline and Marshall Munetsi’s header deep into added time in the first half saw them head into the break on level terms.
There was a decidedly flat feeling before kick-off and the general air wasn’t helped as Wolves went an early goal behind thanks to Zian Fleming’s first Premier League strike.
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When the big Dutchman grabbed a second with the home defence all at sea, the fuse was ready to be lit.
But Wolves managed to claw themselves back into it, although they left themselves a mountain to climb following Fleming’s double.
And his first goal was a cracker.
The powerful striker owed a debt to Quilindschy Hartman. The defender curled a beauty into his path from the halfway line on the left flank.
Fleming didn’t break stride. He had pulled away from
He simply used the pace of the ball and sidefooted it past Johnstone from the edge of the area.
It was some way to announce yourself in the top-flight of English football.
Molineux was strangely subdued – even before kick-off – and while this prompted a response from the stands, it was half-hearted.
Burnley, who had lost all four games on their travels so far, stretched their lead on the half-hour.
Skipper Josh Cullen spotted Hartman loitering at the far post. Wolves’ defender Ki-Jana Hoever saw his opponent run past him and deliver a low ball into the box.
Fleming won the shoving match with Santiago Bueno to finish high into the net.
The volume on the chorus of booing from the home supporters was raised a notch.
The chant of ‘We want FOSUN out’ was accompanied by one calling for the head of executive chairman Jeff Shi.
But, just as the Wolves’ faithful were clearing their throats to turn up the decibels and vent their frustration further, they were handed a lifeline.
It was an innocuous cross from the right by Hoever.
Santiago Bueno had remained up front following a corner and just got his toe to the ball before Cullen.
The Clarets’ skipper caught the boot of the Wolves’ defender and ref Tony Harrington pointed to the spot.
Jorgen Strand Larsen coolly dispatched the penalty.
The Norwegian shouldered the burden after being named skipper – Wolves’ fourth different captain so far this season.
That breathed life into the hosts and somehow they headed for the tunnel at the interval on level terms.
The equaliser was due largely to the efforts of Jean-Ricner Bellegarde whose persistence on the right flank ended with a centre to the far post.
Centre-half Ladislav Krejci’s hooked it back into the danger zone and Marshall Munetsi nodded past Martin Dubravka.
Burnley regained their composure after the interval but it was Wolves who came closest to scoring.
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Bellegarde was upended following another mazy run and Jhon Arias clipped a 25-yard free-kick against the underside of the crossbar.
Wolves laid seige to the visitors’ goal in the final few minutes but were undone when Bellegarde’s mistake was seized upon by Hannibal.
