Hosts survive nervy ending as Hatters remain in relegation zone with just three games to play
THE banner in the Luton Town fans’ section at Molineux read: “Stuart Attwell, he’s one of our own”.
If that is the case, and we take Nottingham Forest’s opinion at face value, then the top-rated Premier League referee will not be happy with this result.
Forest maintained that a Luton-supporting Attwell refused to give them three penalties while on VAR duty in the game at Everton.
But after conceding 10 goals in their previous two games, Rob Edwards’ side showed few signs of taking advantage.
They staged a late bid for a point as skipper Carlton Morris pulled one back to reach double figures for the season with 10 minutes to go as Wolves switched off.
But the Hatters will probably look to a crucial 30-second spell which saw fail to direct his close-range header away from Wolves keeper Jose Sa and open the scoring.
Moments later, Hwang Hee-Chan punished Luton as he grabbed his first Premier League goal in four months.
And Wolves built on that after the break with Toti Gomes’ first league goal of the season.
Luton were largely second best to a Wolves side who had another Attwell-related reason return to winning ways after seven games without a victory.
Gary O’Neil’s side had two goals ruled out in the defeat to Bournemouth on Wednesday, with Attwell in charge on the field as VAR played a major role.
Wolves fans sang: “We want our football back” – and they got it with a convincing victory unaffected by new technology.
Such was the absence of VAR on the final result, Molineux supporters sarcastically cheered the restart for their team’s goals.
The result leaves Luton tantalisingly just one point behind fourth-from-bottom Forest, who host Manchester City today.
It could be that one victory might be enough to leap frog Nuno Espirito Santo’s side – but they will have to be better than this in their final three games, particularly at the back.
It was not a happy return for Edwards, who spent four years as a Wolves defender before being an interim manager.
His only consolation was that the South Bank fans sang his name at the final whistle.
Luton threatened after five minutes when Ross Barkley’s long range shot was kept out by a full-stretch Sa.
Wolves looked the more dangerous after that with an excellent Nelson Semedo ball setting Hwang free, but Hatters keeper Thomas Kaminski spread himself well to keep the shot out.
Joao Gomes went close from long range before Morris’ header went straight into Sa’s hands.
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Wolves then took the lead as forward duo Matheus Cunha and Hwang combined in their first start together since December 27.
Cunha stole the ball from Reece Burke and found Hwang on the left. The South Korean then drilled home a shot which deflected off Teden Mengi.
Wolves extended their lead five minutes after the break as Toti latched on to Mario Lemina’s deep cross.
After that, it seemed only a matter of how many they would score.
Boubacar Traore’s goalbound shot was deflected wide – and Semedo tried to beat one defender too many when it seemed easier to score.
O’Neil’s side were caught napping after sub Cauley Woodrow’s miscued cross appeared to be heading out of play.
But the ball stayed in play and Alfie Doughty’s cross was headed back into the mix by Burke – with Morris lashing home his 10th goal of the season.