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  • Wolves 2-2 Swansea: Doyle,O'Hara dramatic-equalizer

    Wolves roared back from two goals down to share a 2-2 draw with Swansea City in a dramatic finish to their Premier League clash at Molineux, Saturday 22/10/2011.
    Swansea assumed a two-goal lead through first-half goals from Danny Graham and Joe Allen, prompting a furious response from an astonishingly negative home crowd.

    But, with many of the Wolves fans having already left the ground in disgust, their side found late inspiration as Jamie O'Hara and Kevin Doyle struck with two goals in two minutes to level the scores and salvage a point four minutes from time.

    Wolves came into the match on a five match losing streak with a frustrated Mick McCarthy desperate to drag his side out of their predicament, while Swansea had yet to pick up a single Premier League point away from home.

    The hosts were without Steven Fletcher for the clash with the Scot recovering from a calf injury, while Brendan Rodgers's primary focus was on securing his defence after conceding three goals against fellow newcomers Norwich last week.



    The Game

    Swansea conceded a first-minute goal against Norwich last week, and it was nearly déjà-vu as Karl Henry - the man who was jeered off by his own fans last week - lashed a rasping drive from 25 yards which swerved prodigiously and forced Michel Vorm into making a very fine save.

    But the visitors quickly settled, and Vorm's opposite number Wayne Hennessey made a stunning save to deny the marauding Allen as the midfielder unleashed a powerful shot from just outside the Wolves box.

    Both keepers were in inspired form early on, and Jamie O'Hara thought he had scored with a fierce close-range shot in the 21st minute, only for Vorm to make any reflex save to keep the hosts at bay.

    The first goal came two minutes later as some sloppy defending from Wolves enabled Mark Gower's dinked through ball to find its way through to Graham, who kept his composure to slot a precise shot under Hennessey and silence the Molineux crowd.

    Vorm made another cracking save to deny Adam Hammill, whose exquisite 25-yard free kick looked to be curling towards the top corner of the net, and moments later the Wolves defence was again caught out as Swansea doubled their lead.

    This time Graham turned provider as he hurtled down the right in very direct fashion before squaring the ball to the onrushing Allen, who coolly side-footed the ball past Hennessey as the home fans again turned on their team.

    Molineux was a scene of utter despair at half-time as McCarthy no doubt unleashed a fearful rollicking to his side, and there was a real sense of despondency after the break as the visitors dominated the early possession.

    It could easily have been three just after the hour mark as a close-range shot from the ebullient Sinclair drew a very fine reflex save from Hennessey, who made himself very big to block the effort.

    The truly toxic atmosphere darkened further as McCarthy was roundly booed and berated for withdrawing Matt Jarvis and Adam Hammill with Adlene Guedioura and Nenad Milijas came on in the 68th minute amid cries of "you don't know what you're doing" directed at the Wolves boss. It turned out he did.

    Hennessey again kept Swansea at bay with a superb diving save in the 71st minute as Sinclair was afforded an alarming amount of space on the edge of the Wolves box and drilled a low shot towards the near post with the Welshman again equal to it.

    Large numbers of Wolves fans had already streamed out of the exits by the time the hosts grabbed a goal back six minutes from time as substitute Sam Vokes swivelled sharply inside the Swansea box and unleashed a fierce shot which Vorm could only parry, and Doyle turned the ball home from close range.

    Two minutes later and with many of the home fans loitering by the exits, desperate to get back to their seats, O'Hara levelled the scores in dramatic fashion, slamming an emphatic finish into the roof of the net after a precise cut back from Doyle.

    A frenetic finish ensued as both sides piled forward in their droves, but neither could muster a late winner as McCarthy shared a handshake with his counterpart having been berated by his own supporters, but suddenly content with a crucial point.
    Dan Quarrell - follow on Twitter @danquarrell / Eurosport

    Source: Eurosport


    TEAM LINE-UP:

    Wolverhampton: Hennessey, Stearman, Berra, Johnson, Ward, Jarvis, Henry, O'Hara, Hammill, Doyle, Ebanks-Blake. Subs: De Vries, Craddock, Hunt, Vokes, Milijas, Doherty, Guedioura
    Swansea: Vorm, Rangel, Monk, Williams, Taylor, Dyer, Allen, Gower, Britton, Sinclair, Graham. Subs: Tremmel, Orlandi, Routledge, Lita, Moore, Richards, Moras

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