Wolves U23s 1 West Ham U23s 2 – Report

Sylvain Deslandes' first-half header gave Wolves a lead they held until the last 10 minutes, when substitute Jahmal Hector-Ingram equalised, writes Tim Spiers at Molineux.

And then referee Joseph Johnson incomprehensibly awarded the Hammers a stoppage time penalty for a nothing challenge, which they duly converted. Johnson was booed down the tunnel by a large proportion of the 772 in attendance at Molineux.

It was a cruel and unjust end to a great season for Scott Sellars' team, who had finished second in the table and were looking to win promotion to face the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea next season.

On the balance of play they deserved to win, but a number of spurned chances coupled with Johnson's bizarre late intervention meant their campaign ended in crushing disappointment.

Wolves took the game to the Hammers from the outset and enjoyed most of the play in the first half.

Their first chance arrived in the eighth minute when right-back Aaron Simpson flashed a deflected shot wide after good work from Niall Ennis and Christian Herc.

As is so often the case with them, Scott Sellars' team were playing some intricate, fast-paced football on the front foot and were comfortably the better team, despite them being deprived of first-team players Bright Enobakhare and Harry Burgoyne, as well as injury victims Connor Ronan and Morgan Gibbs-White.

Scottish winger Daniel Armstrong went close when his shot from the right of the box was well saved.

Then on 25 minutes came a deserved opening goal. Armstrong's left-footed inswinging corner was met by Deslandes who powered a header into the top corner.

The impressive Christian Herc almost doubled the lead when his deflected shot from a cleared flag kick dropped just wide, while the same player also stung the keeper's palms with a well-struck volley.

At the other end keeper Jack Ruddy was untroubled. West Ham's only chance came when striker Martin Samuelsen evaded the Wolves offside trap but skewed his free header badly wide.

The Hammers – who beat Wolves 4-0 at Telford during the regular season – improved at the start of the second half and pushed Wolves deeper with a series of testing crosses and corners.

Keeper Ruddy remained untested though, and in-form Donovan Wilson almost made it 2-0 when he backheeled at keeper Raphael Spiegel from Ennis' pass.

As opposed to the first period, the Hammers were mostly on top now and Nathan Holland whipped a free kick marginally over the bar.

Wilson has been on fire for the under-23s of late and despite a relatively quiet evening he again tested Spiegel with a snap shot on the turn which was palmed around the post in the striker's last action of the night.

Then with 15 minutes left Ennis came so close to all-but putting Wolves in the final. He turned onto his right foot after sublime control but couldn't beat the sprawling Spiegel from 18 yards. Will Randall fired a follow-up at goal but again the keeper saved.

Wolves, for whom Christian Herc pulled the strings in midfield, had created more than enough chances to win it – and were punished for not taking them when substitute Jahmal Hector-Ingram got of the end of Joe Powell's cross to send a diving header past Ruddy.

Then with just one minute left the Hammers should have dramatically won the tie but Powell somehow volleyed wide from four yards out.

And then in stoppage time West Ham did win it – in incredibly controversial circumstances.

Hector-Ingram melodramatically dropped to the floor after barely a touch from Ryan Leak and with the ball running out for a goal kick.

But, to the amazement of the Wolves staff, it was given and Samuelsen duly converted to inflict a desperately cruel defeat on the home team.

Wolves (4-4-2): Ruddy; Simpson, Hayden (Leak, 90), Johnson (c), Deslandes; Armstrong, Finnie, Herc, Randall; Wilson (Levingston, 76), Ennis. Subs: Brown, Breslin, Carnat.