Lyle Foster nets dramatic late winner as Burnley edge sorry Wolves
By Sunny Badwal, PA
Lyle Foster came off the bench and scored a dramatic last-minute winner as Burnley snatched a 3-2 Premier League victory away to bottom side Wolves.
It marked six months to the day since the hosts last won in the league – a 3-0 win over Leicester – and their wait for a first this campaign continued as they let in a late goal for the fourth game in a row.
The game had a feel of an early season ‘six-pointer’ for this campaign’s relegation battle and Burnley sensed the tension in the air at Wolves early on.
They pounced into a deserved two-goal lead courtesy of Zian Flemming’s first pair of Premier League goals, both assisted by Quilindschy Hartman.
The Clarets looked comfortable but the hosts made it a level game out of nowhere thanks to Jorgen Strand Larsen’s penalty and Marshall Munetsi’s first of the campaign.
Scott Parker’s side initially surrendered a two-goal lead, which looked like it would deny them a first victory on the road until Foster struck in the fifth and final minute of second-half stoppage-time.
Strand Larsen and Wolves boss Vitor Pereira went over to the fans following the final whistle and chants of “you’re not fit to wear the shirt” and “sacked in the morning” belted down from the stands, directed at the players and Pereira.
Wolves goalkeeper Sam Johnstone was brought into action early on and he produced a diving save to bat Josh Cullen’s goal-bound volley away.
Axel Tuanzebe’s sloppiness on the ball almost gave the home side a lead – at the other end – as he was dispossessed by Jhon Arias, who ran through on goal but sent his end product straight at Martin Dubravka.
Burnley drew first blood with the simplest of goals.
Hartman sent a routine long ball over the top which was perfectly read by Flemming and he watched the ball come over his shoulder before connecting with a smart volley into the bottom corner.
Loud boos rang around Molineux as Burnley doubled their advantage on the half-hour mark.
Another long ball over the top proved to be Wolves’ downfall as Hartman latched onto Cullen’s high pass on the byline and he sent a low cross across the face of goal to Flemming, who was waiting to tap in his second of the afternoon.
Wolves were clearly second best throughout the first period but were offered an olive branch by their opponents for a way back into the contest when Cullen brought down Santiago Bueno inside the box.
Referee Tony Harrington pointed to the penalty spot and Strand Larsen was the coolest man inside Molineux as he sent Dubravka the wrong way to halve the deficit with his first for the season.
The fighting spirit had not gone and Wolves fought back and to score a leveller on the stroke of half-time.
Ladislav Krejci diverted Jean-Ricner Bellegarde’s cross into the path of Munetsi and he was able to nod the ball beyond Dubravka.
The woodwork stopped Wolves from taking the lead as Arias saw his free-kick beat the diving Dubravka but crashing off the upright and away from danger.
Wolves pushed Burnley deeper in search of the winner – Dubravka was forced in a couple of saves to deny Strand Larsen’s header and Bellegarde’s thumping strike.
The visitors snatched all three points at the death as Hannibal Mejbri slipped through to Foster and he guided his finish beyond the onrushing Johnstone as boos rang round Molineux.