Wolves come from behind to earn thrilling point against Newcastle

Amos Murphy

Eddie Howe’s nightmare week went from bad to worse, as his Newcastle United side twice threw away a lead, as their wretched record away from home against Wolverhampton Wanderers stretched to six matches without a win.

Downed by Borussia Dortmund in midweek, a rampant Newcastle started their Saturday tea-time clash at Molineux on the front foot and took a deserved lead 22 minutes into the contest.

Converting a bouncing ball inside the penalty area in spectacular fashion, Callum Wilson netted his first-ever goal against Wolves with an acrobatic overhead kick.

The England international had failed to score on his previous nine outings against the West Midlands outfit, but further celebrations would be cut short when his goal was cancelled out 15 minutes later.

Wolves instead equalised as Mario Lemina, ghosting in at the back post, was on hand to drive a header beyond Nick Pope in the Newcastle goal, putting Wolves back on level terms.

However, there would be one last pendulum swing before the half-time break, as Newcastle, this time under controversial circumstances, once again edged their noses in front.

It came from the penalty spot, with Wilson once again the man to find the net, but Gary O’Neil and Co. were left furious following Anthony Taylor’s decision to point to the spot.

Hwang Hee-chan was adjudged to have been the guilty party, with the South Korean international penalised for a trip on Newcastle defender Fabian Schär - replays suggested contact was minimal at best.

Booed off by the Molineux crowd at half-time, it’s safe to say Taylor hadn’t endeared himself to the Wolves faithful during a tetchy first half. The frustrations of the home side would be remedied midway through the second period though, when Hwang netted a leveller for Wolves.

The attacker had been at fault for the dubious penalty decision against his side earlier in the game and it was clear from the 27-year-old’s celebrations that the equaliser was a moment of huge relief for him.

Careless mistakes had allowed Wolves back into the game twice, but it didn’t stop Newcastle from pushing for a late winner. A wicked Kieran Trippier cross delivered the ball on a platter for Schär, but the Swiss international could only find the side netting with the header, while a tame Sean Longstaff effort did little to trouble José Sá between the sticks.

Alas, it will in fact go down as two points dropped for the Magpies, whose ambition to qualify for the Champions League took an early blow on what was a soggy and ultimately disappointing evening’s work in the West Midlands.

Flashscore Man of the Match: Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton Wanderers)