Wolves beat Brentford to set up West Brom tie

Wolves booked an FA Cup fourth-round derby trip to West Brom after local boy Nathan Fraser came off the bench to turn the replay against Brentford on its head.

Brentford struck early in both halves.

Former Wolves defender Nathan Collins took just 13 minutes to put the visitors ahead when he swivelled and fired home and the second period was only seven minutes old when the ball bounced into the path of Neal Maupay, who found the net, just as he did in the first game.

But, just as they did at Brentford, Wolves pulled themselves back into the game.

Nelson Semedo was able to tap the first equaliser into an empty net as the rebound fell kindly after Thomas Strakosha had repelled the Portuguese defender’s initial effort. Then Fraser struck.

The 18-year-old was born and raised in Wolverhampton and came through the club’s academy. He had only been on the field two for two minutes when he drove a superb effort into the far corner.

Fraser must have thought he had won it two minutes later when another powerful shot was somehow kept out by Strakosha to ensure the contest went to extra time.

It took a controversial penalty to swing the tie in the hosts’ favour, Brentford complaining bitterly as Pedro Neto hit the deck.

However, referee Andrew Madley was unmoved, VAR Graham Scott backed him up and Cunha set up Wolves’ first meeting with West Brom in front of supporters since 2012, given the Premier League encounters three years ago were both played in empty stadiums due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Fraser provides another reason for optimism at Molineux

Collins’ £23m move to Brentford at the beginning of July was one of the reasons why a growing feeling of desperation about their club’s plight gripped many Wolves fans during a summer that included an eve-of-season departure for popular manager Julen Lopetegui.

The former Spain manager’s replacement Gary O’Neil has confounded expectations.

Victory at Brighton on Monday would move Wolves within a point of a European place and in Fraser they have someone who could be part of their future for a long time.

Although he’s a Republic of Ireland youth international, Fraser could not be more local. His junior club, Trysull Tigers, are exactly six miles from Molineux and rightly proud of the teenager, even though he had only been with them for two years and was just eight when his local Premier League club got him. As Trysull explain, “his talent was obvious”.

How much pride there must be for that club to see Fraser score for the second time in three senior Wolves appearances. That the goal was scored in front of the famous South Bank and helped secure what will be such an eagerly-awaited Black Country confrontation on 28 January just makes Fraser’s contribution even more special.​

Brentford set for Toney return

Disappointment at their defeat will be eased slightly at Brentford given they can now bring back Ivan Toney after his eight-month ban for breaking FA gambling rules.

The England striker doesn’t just provide goals, he offers speed and a physical presence that creates a problem for any defence.

Josh Dasilva was given the role as Brentford spearhead at Molineux and while he worked hard and claimed an assist off an initial shot that ricocheted into Maupay’s path, he just doesn’t offer the same threat.

Brentford’s early goal was the product of two defenders as Kristoffer Ajer, back from a foot injury, struck an effort on goal too powerful for Jose Sa to hold and as the ball fizzed around the home box, Collins swivelled to smash it home.

The visitors were never convincing despite their advantage. After picking up just three points in their last eight Premier League games and slipping to within three points of the relegation zone, they really need Toney to make a difference, starting at home against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.