Wolves 2-3 Burnley: Lyle Foster seals remarkable late win to claim first away points
Lyle Foster came up trumps at the death as Burnley recorded a dramatic, last-gap victory against Wolves for their first away points of the season.
It looked as though the Clarets would have to settle for a point against the league’s bottom side after squandering a two-goal lead in this topsy-turvy encounter.
Zian Flemming’s brace, his first Premier League goals, gave Scot Parker’s side a two-goal lead, one they more than deserved.
Playing in front of a tetchy, antagonistic Molineux crowd, who are angry with their winless start to the campaign, it felt as though this was the perfect opportunity to record that first away win.
But a soft penalty converted by Jorgen Strand Larsen allowed Wolves a route back into the game before Marshall Munetsi levelled matters, both of the goals coming on the stroke of half-time.
Either side could have snatched the points during the second-half, but just as it appeared the game was fizzling out, Foster provided one final decisive moments deep into stoppage time to send the travelling fans into raptures.
As a result, Burnley record their first Premier League back-to-back wins since April 2022, but more importantly move up to 16th and five points clear of the dropzone.
Coming off the victory over Leeds, Parker opted to stick with the side that claimed Burnley’s second win of the season.
Many had expected Loum Tchaouna to start after his goal off the bench last week, but Parker decided to stick with Jacob Bruun Larsen on the right wing.
Lyle Foster returned from injury to take the place of Ashley Barnes on the bench. Jordan Beyer, Connor Roberts and Zeki Amdouni all remain sidelined.
As for Wolves, under-pressure Vitor Pereira made two changes from his side’s 2-0 defeat to Sunderland last time out.
Remaining the only side yet to win in the Premier League this season, it was perhaps no surprise to see just how bereft of confidence the home side looked in the early exchanges.
But while Burnley were the first side to threaten through Josh Cullen’s looping volley, which was beaten away by Sam Johnstone, Wolves hit back with a good chance on the counter as Rodrigo Gomes broke free, only to be thwarted by Martin Dubravka.
While his first stop of the afternoon was a relatively routine one, he soon produced an excellent save to deny the same man, whose teasing, inswinging cross looked to be creeping in at the far post.
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Just as Wolves were beginning to get on top, Burnley took the lead with a goal out of nowhere - and what a goal it was too.
Zian Flemming was the man to get it, netting in the Premier League for the first time, producing a Robin van Persie-esque finish to catch Johnstone unawares after Quilindschy Hartman had picked him out with an exceptional crossfield ball.
The home fans immediately turned on the club’s owners, the Fosuns, as anger - rather than antipathy - set in at a disgruntled Molineux.
Burnley almost got in for a second when Florentino Luis set Jacob Bruun Larsen free, but Hugo Bueno recovered to make an important last-ditch block just as the Dane was about to pull the trigger.
The Clarets, who were well looking threatening every time they ventured forward, felt they ought to have been given a penalty midway through the half when Flemming was hauled to the ground as he attempted to reach Bruun Larsen’s cross. VAR checked, but play quickly resumed.
Parker’s men were almost gifted a second when defender Ladislav Krejci and keeper Johnstone failed to take charge of a bouncing ball outside the box, allowing Bruun Larsen the chance to nip in for what would have been a simple tap-in. But Johnstone just about got a hand to deny the Burnley winger a route through.
You felt Burnley needed to capitalise on their period of dominance if they were going to go on and win the game, and that’s exactly what they did on the half-hour mark when Flemming added a second.
Once again it was all about the Dutch connection, as Hartman put the ball on a plate at the back post for Flemming to steer home from close range.
While the goal was checked for a possible foul, with Flemming and the defender pulling each other’s shirts, the goal stood and play resumed - with Burnley holding a more than deserved two-goal lead.
But four minutes before the interval, the home side were given a route back into the game when they were awarded a soft-looking penalty.
Josh Cullen was the man penalised, adjudged to have kicked the back of Santiago Bueno’s boot inside the box. Jorgen Strand Larsen stood up and halved the deficit after sending Dubravka the wrong way.
It was a moment that changed the whole dynamic of the game, with the crowd - once at breaking point - now buoyant and smelling an instant equaliser.
They got their wish in first-half stoppage time when Marshall Munetsi headed home at the back stick after Maxime Esteve had momentarily switched off.
The Clarets had been moments away from enjoying a dream half, only to end it back on level terms after squandering a two-goal lead in crazy fashion.
Half-time was key for Burnley to compose themselves and go again, because this game was still there to be won. But Wolves now had renewed belief.
The first chance of the half came Burnley’s way, as Jaidon Anthony shot fairly weakly at Johnstone after Flemming had dummied Bruun Larsen’s pullback.
Burnley were the side forcing the pressure, as Flemming shot straight at Johnstone as he eyed his hat–trick.
But in line with this topsy, turvy games, Wolves almost edged their noses in front for the first time when Jhon Arias curled a 25-yard free-kick off the crossbar.
Parker soon turned to the bench, replacing Bruun Larsen with Josh Laurent, which saw the Clarets revert to their back five. Lyle Foster then replaced Anthony as the Clarets stuck two strikers up front.
With seven minutes remaining, Dubravka made a strong save to deny Jean-Ricner Bellegarde before Rodrigo Gomes volleyed over unmarked at the back post, as Wolves sensed a late winner.
The game appeared to be fizzling out thanks to all the late changes, but Burnley had different ideas. They pulled out one final moment, as substitute Hannibal picked out the run of Lyle Foster, who stayed onside before turning the ball past the onrushing Johnstone.
It sparked wild scenes of celebrations, with all the subs racing straight down the touchline to join in, while Parker and his coaching staff were in raptures.
Wolves, however, could still have snatched a point, but Dubravka pulled off a remarkable save to deny Santiago Bueno in the dying seconds of stoppage time.
TEAMS
Wolves: Johnstone, Hoever (Tchatchoua), S. Bueno, Krejci, H. Bueno (Wolfe), Andre (J. Gomes), Bellegarde, Munetsi (Tolu), R. Gomes, Arias (Hwang), Larsen
Subs not used: Sa, Agbadou, Toti, Lopez
Burnley: Dubravka, Walker, Tuanzebe, Esteve, Hartman, Florentino (Hannibal), Cullen, Ugochukwu (Ekdal), Bruun Larsen (Laurent), Anthony (Foster), Flemming
Subs not used: Weiss, Pires, Edwards, Tchaouna, Broja
Referee: Tony Harrington
Attendance: 29,116 (1,795 Burnley)
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