Wolves beat Bournemouth to win third consecutive top-flight match for first time in 38 years
Wolves 2-0 Bournemouth: The home side were largely untroubled as they won their third consecutive top-flight match for the first time since 1980
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Your support makes all the difference.The last time Wolverhampton Wanderers won three successive top-flight matches, Nuno Espirito Santo was in short trousers.
On an afternoon when thermal underwear was more the order of the day, the Wolves head coach saw his team pull off a feat they had not achieved since 1980 to further underline their claims to be seen as more than just Premier League also-rans.
It was not a classic performance from a Wolves team who have built a reputation for getting their supporters on their feet.
Yet on an occasion when the icy Black Country blast made exuberant celebrations an uncomfortable business, a goal from the in-form Raul Jimenez and a late second from Ivan Cavaleiro were enough to give the Molineux club three top division victories in succession for the first time in 38 years.
After a concerning run of form in late autumn raised concerns about a long, difficult summer for Nuno’s men, successes against Chelsea, Newcastle and now AFC Bournemouth have reignited hopes of a special season for last season’s Championship winners.
Like Wolves, Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth began the campaign in impressive style to give their supporters the opportunity to dream of a push for Europe.
However, six defeats in seven games for the Cherries have left them looking for a spark while Wolves reset their sights on the upper reaches of the table.
A failure to add a second goal meant the home side were forced to endure a tense ending to the game despite Bournemouth struggling for cohesion.
In the opening moments Wolves survived a scare when Joshua King beat their offside trap and was bearing down on goal when Conor Coady recovered to make a vital interception.
He was rewarded on 12 minutes when Wolves pounced on Charlie Daniels’ error to open the scoring.
The Bournemouth wing-back played a blind pass into midfield from the left flank and Diogo Jota seized on it, rounding Nathan Ake before squaring for Jimenez, who scored from close range.
Bournemouth sniffed an equaliser when Tyrone Mings crossed from the left for Junior Stanislas but he scooped a shot over the crossbar from eight yards.
Yet it was Wolves who were in the ascendancy, with Jimenez lifting another effort narrowly over.
Just before the interval Ryan Fraser went on a jinking run for Bournemouth through the heart of the Wolves defence but his pull-back for King was intercepted.
Early in the second half Joao Moutinho saw a shot deflected wide for a Wolves corner after a neat move from the home side.
And half-time substitute Helder Costa should have doubled the hosts’ lead just before the hour mark.
He raced onto a clever pass from Morgan Gibbs-White and ignored the shouts of Jimenez in the centre in favour of bearing down on goal himself.
But he lashed his effort wastefully wide of the near post.
Bournemouth should have drawn level five minutes later when they won a free-kick on the edge of the area, with Stanislas curling it against the crossbar with Wolves goalkeeper Rui Patricio beaten.
The rebound fell for Jefferson Lerma, whose long-range effort was prevented from finding the top corner by the hands of Patricio.
The visitors needed an equaliser yet it was Nuno’s side who ended the game on the front foot and Costa might have relieved any late nerves with a second goal in the closing stages.
But his side was saved well at the near post by Asmir Begovic in the Bournemouth goal.
Wolves’ second finally arrived, though, as a stoppage-time pass from Costa found fellow substitute Cavaleiro, who raced clear from halfway before beating Begovic low down.
Wolves (3-4-1-2): Patricio; Bennett, Coady, Boly; Doherty, Moutinho, Neves, Jonny; Gibbs-White (Saiss 73); Jimenez (Cavaleiro 89), Jota (Costa HT). Substitutes: Ruddy, Vinagre, Dendoncker, Traore. Booked: Costa
Bournemouth (3-4-2-1): Begovic; Cook, Ake, Mings (Rico 36); Ibe (Wilson 58), Lerma, Surman, Daniels; Fraser, Stanislas (Mousset 80); King. Substitutes: Boruc, Pugh, Defoe, Brooks. Booked: Cook, Lerma.
Referee: Simon Hooper
Attendance: 30,997
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