Wolves 1 (James 62) Portsmouth 1 (Devlin 86)
Wolves dropped two points in the final four minutes as they were forced to settle for a draw at home to Portsmouth in Tuesday night.
Jordan James had come off the bench to fire the Old Gold in front on 62 minutes, and that looked on course to be enough for a narrow win, but Terry Devlin struck with time running out and the hosts were left frustrated.
The first 45 minutes will not live long in the memory of anyone inside Molineux, with neither side managing a shot on target. Andre dragged the first effort wide early on, after Mateus Mane’s cross was cleared as far as the Brazilian on the edge.
Then, on 23 minutes Marshall Munetsi found Rafiki Said in space down the left, but his shot was blocked behind for a corner by the retreating Pompey defenders.
Portsmouth’s flurries forward were rare, but once a free-kick wasn’t cleared properly, Rocco Shein hit the rebound with interest, but Jose Sa was able to watch it wide.
Half-time | Wolves 0-0 Portsmouth
Cesar Peixoto rang the changes at the break, with James and Tawanda Chirewa coming on, and they lifted things. The latest threatened within six minutes, chopping back inside the penalty area and striking the face of the crossbar. Mane then twice tried his luck but dragged wide and then had an effort blocked behind.
Finally, the breakthrough arrived through the other change at the interval in James. Like against Stoke City, he exchanged passes with Fer Lopez, with the second pass finding him inside the box, and the midfielder squeezed a powerful strike between Nicolas Schmid and his near post.
Ebou Adams did have an instant chance to reply for the visitors but headed over from close range, before Chirewa and James both threatened but couldn’t add to the lead.
Instead, frustratingly Wolves let two points slip through their hands in the closing stage. Adrian Segecic’s free-kick hit the Wolves wall but landed to Devlin whose first time effort fizzed into Sa’s bottom corner.
The Old Gold piled on the pressure after that and Lopez had a powerful shot blocked, while Chirewa had a shot deflected inches wide, but there would be no late drama and the points were shared.
Full-time | Wolves 1-1 Portsmouth
Wolves | Sa, Tchatchoua, Djiga, Krejci, Bueno, Andre (Mosquera 89), Munetsi (James 45), Lopez, Said (Bellegarde 75), Mane (Doyle 67), Neave (Chirewa 45).
Unused subs | Virginia, Ruddy, Konan, Toti.
Portsmouth | Schmid, Poole, Segecic (Pack 90), Kamara (Kenny 75), Meghoma, Shade (Marezi 53), Shein (Kavuma-McQueen 53), Devlin, Mohamed (Bailey 75), Adams, Dia.
Unused subs | Killip, Bielica, Waddingham, Swanson.
