Wolverhampton Wanderers 1 PNE 0
A goal in the first 60 seconds settled a sedate end of season clash at Molineux in favour of the home side.
A back post header by Wolves skipper Danny Batth was enough for Paul Lambert’s side in the sun-laden Black Country.
The Lilywhites started the final game of the 2016/17 season with a 3-5-2 formation, with Paul Huntington having to wait until a second half introuduction to make his 200th appearance for the club, but the home side got off to the perfect start.
Jordan Graham won the corner he took on the left hand side, swinging it in to the back post to where the home captain rose highest just a couple of yards out to head into the top right hand corner.
The first half had very little tempo to it, with nether keeper tested, but as the period got to its end the visitors had a strong shout for a penalty. It appeared to be a clear handball in the box by Kortney Hause from Stevie May’s cross, but referee Darren England failed to see it, neither does his linesman who was on the right side assist.
The home side started the second half the brighter of the two teams and three minutes in Bright Enobakhare, side footed against the post from 15 yards out, with Chris Maxwell beaten after Nouha Dicko had pulled the ball back from the byline.
Maxwell was needed to make a couple of fine saves before the hour mark, firstly from Dicko, who had danced into the box from a ball from skipper Dave Edwards and then shortly after another superb stop to deny Enobakhare, whose dummy had put the North End defence on the floor before firing on target.
Jordan Hugill went close with a header from Aiden McGeady’s deep free kick on 64 minutes as Simon Grayson’s men looked to try and get something from their final outing of the season.
In the first of three added minutes substitutes Jermaine Beckford and Daryl Horgan combined, with a curling effort from the latter brilliantly tipped over by Harry Burgoyne which ultimately gave the home side the win.
Wolverhampton Wanderers line-up: Burgoyne, Pereira, Edwards, Batth (c), Dicko (Bodvarsson, 77), Graham (Mason, 64), Coady, Enobakhare, Saiss, Hause, Weimann (Iorfa, 87). Subs not used: Lonergan, Stearman, Saville, Evans.
PNE line-up: Maxwell, Barkhuizen (Horgan, 72), Spurr, Browning (Huntington, 52), Boyle, Baptiste, Pearson, Gallagher (c), McGeady, Hugill (Beckford, 67), May. Subs not used: Hudson, Horgan, Browne, Johnson, Robinson.
Attendance: 20,163 (863 PNE fans)
Referee: Mr D England
A back post header by Wolves skipper Danny Batth was enough for Paul Lambert’s side in the sun-laden Black Country.
The Lilywhites started the final game of the 2016/17 season with a 3-5-2 formation, with Paul Huntington having to wait until a second half introuduction to make his 200th appearance for the club, but the home side got off to the perfect start.
Jordan Graham won the corner he took on the left hand side, swinging it in to the back post to where the home captain rose highest just a couple of yards out to head into the top right hand corner.
The first half had very little tempo to it, with nether keeper tested, but as the period got to its end the visitors had a strong shout for a penalty. It appeared to be a clear handball in the box by Kortney Hause from Stevie May’s cross, but referee Darren England failed to see it, neither does his linesman who was on the right side assist.
The home side started the second half the brighter of the two teams and three minutes in Bright Enobakhare, side footed against the post from 15 yards out, with Chris Maxwell beaten after Nouha Dicko had pulled the ball back from the byline.
Maxwell was needed to make a couple of fine saves before the hour mark, firstly from Dicko, who had danced into the box from a ball from skipper Dave Edwards and then shortly after another superb stop to deny Enobakhare, whose dummy had put the North End defence on the floor before firing on target.
Jordan Hugill went close with a header from Aiden McGeady’s deep free kick on 64 minutes as Simon Grayson’s men looked to try and get something from their final outing of the season.
In the first of three added minutes substitutes Jermaine Beckford and Daryl Horgan combined, with a curling effort from the latter brilliantly tipped over by Harry Burgoyne which ultimately gave the home side the win.
Wolverhampton Wanderers line-up: Burgoyne, Pereira, Edwards, Batth (c), Dicko (Bodvarsson, 77), Graham (Mason, 64), Coady, Enobakhare, Saiss, Hause, Weimann (Iorfa, 87). Subs not used: Lonergan, Stearman, Saville, Evans.
PNE line-up: Maxwell, Barkhuizen (Horgan, 72), Spurr, Browning (Huntington, 52), Boyle, Baptiste, Pearson, Gallagher (c), McGeady, Hugill (Beckford, 67), May. Subs not used: Hudson, Horgan, Browne, Johnson, Robinson.
Attendance: 20,163 (863 PNE fans)
Referee: Mr D England