English Premiership
Wolves show belated fight
2012-04-28 19:09
Swansea - Relegated Wolves finally showed some belated fight as they recovered from 4-1 down to earn a remarkable 4-4 draw at Swansea on Saturday.
Terry Connor's side were officially relegated last weekend after Manchester City condemned them to their eighth defeat in nine matches and they could have been forgiven for throwing in the towel after falling 3-0 down and then trailing 4-1 at the Liberty Stadium.
But somehow they summoned up the kind of spirited comeback that has been sorely missing for most of a miserable campaign.
Andrea Orlandi struck in the first minute before Joe Allen and Nathan Dyer extended Swansea's lead within 15 minutes.
But Wolves rallied as Steven Fletcher and Matt Jarvis pulled goals back either side of Danny Graham scoring Swansea's fourth, before second-half strikes from David Edwards and Jarvis secured a point.
Swansea had made the perfect start thanks to Orlandi's header from Scott Sinclair's cross just 25 seconds into the match.
Brendan Rodgers' team increased their advantage after four minutes when Graham and Gylfi Sigurdsson linked well to free Allen and the midfielder's shot deflected in off Richard Stearman.
It got even worse for Connor's side as Swansea bagged a third goal in the 15th minute.
Orlandi tricked his way between Kevin Foley and Michael Kightly and his deflected cross was headed in at the far post by Dyer.
Wolves got a goal back when Kevin Doyle found space down the left and delivered a pinpoint cross for Fletcher to direct a free header over Michel Vorm in the 28th minute.
But that only proved brief respite as Swansea notched their fourth after 31 minutes.
When Dyer's initial shot rebounded back to him, the winger lofted a lovely ball for Graham to coolly slot his 13th goal of the season.
That should have been game over for Wolves, but the visitors punished poor defending to snatch a lifeline in the 33rd minute.
Doyle's cross should have been cleared but it reached Jarvis, whose shot somehow got past Ashley Williams' poor attempted clearance on the line.
Wolves had enough momentum now to believe a comeback was on if they could get a goal early in the second half.
They did just that in the 54th minute as Edwards held off Garry Monk to steer the ball past Vorm.
And a stunning fightback was completed in the 69th minute when Jarvis slid in to convert Fletcher's cross.