NUNO’S DELIGHT AT ‘MASSIVE’ WIN
Leaders triumph with just nine men
NUNO Espirito Santo has seen his Wolves side produce a series of defining moments already this season but with promotion to the Premier League now just three wins away, the Portuguese manager is hoping the best is still to come.
Wolves host struggling Hull on Tuesday knowing nine more points will guarantee promotion in the wake of Friday’s remarkable 2-1 win at Middlesbrough.
Nuno’s side claimed their first win at the Riverside since 1951, despite being reduced to nine men following the second-half dismissals of Ruben Neves and Matt Doherty.
The league leaders displayed impressive resolve to cling on for all three points with just eight outfield players and as he prepares to take on a Hull side who are still battling against relegation, the Wolves boss is happy to be making memories.
Nuno said: “We have had some particular moments during the season that have defined the work of the team, and that [Friday’s win] was another one of them. We have been through difficult situations before and have been able to take points in tough moments.
“We have been doing that since the beginning of the work we have been doing. The character of the players was important again, along with the shape, the discipline and the organisation. They are the pillars that have sustained us and allowed us to grow as a team.
“I celebrated with my fans at the final whistle because it was massive for us. Wolves had not won on that ground for such a long time, so it meant a lot for us to go there, to such a difficult stadium and team, and win the game.”
Nuno will be hoping for more of the same on Tuesday, although he is unlikely to experience the same level of drama or incident that unfolded on Teesside.
There was little sign of what was to come as Wolves cruised into a two-goal lead before the interval, with Helder Costa opening the scoring as he volleyed home Barry Douglas’ cross.
Wolves claimed a second goal shortly after, with Ivan Cavaleiro heading home from close range after Darren Randolph had saved from Willy Boly but things began to unravel for the visitors when Neves was dismissed for two fouls on Adama Traore and George Friend in the space of three minutes.
Doherty was also booked in the incident involving Traore and he too received a red card when he elbowed Friend as the pair challenged for a high ball with 19 minutes left.
Patrick Bamford clawed a goal back in stoppage time but Boro’s hopes of scrambling a point evaporated when Stewart Downing dragged a 96thminute effort wide.
Boro boss Tony Pulis said: “We move on. There’s going to be ups and downs but the disappointing thing against Wolves is that we needed that little bit of quality in the final third.
“We’ve got a very important game at Burton now [on Monday]. It’s a different game. It’s a small ground and I know Nigel (Clough); he’ll have his players up and fighting for their lives.”
Having watched Traore suffer a series of fouls on added: “We’ve got a situation at where as soon as Adama gets the ball and starts running at people, people just bring him down. That’s been going on for a while.”