Terry Devlin struck late to earn a point for Portsmouth, denying Wolverhampton Wanderers a home victory in a 1-1 draw at Molineux on Tuesday. Jordan James had put the hosts ahead just after the hour mark, but Devlin's 86th-minute intervention ensured the spoils were shared. This result follows a 2-1 win at Burnley on Friday 16 October and a 1-3 home defeat to Bolton on Tuesday 13 October.
How the match unfolded
Wolves, coming off a win against Burnley but with a recent record of two wins, one draw and two defeats, started brightly. They dominated possession but struggled to create clear chances against a disciplined Portsmouth side. The first half was a cagey affair, with Sean Neave receiving a yellow card for a foul in the 22nd minute. Manager Cesar Peixoto made a double change at the break, introducing James and Tawanda Chirewa in search of more attacking impetus.
The move paid off in the 62nd minute. Fer López, the team's top scorer this season with five goals in ten appearances, provided the assist for James to fire Wolves into the lead. The home side looked to be in control, but Portsmouth grew into the game. The visitors' pressure told with four minutes of normal time remaining when Devlin found the net to level the score.
A scrappy finish
The final stages were fractious, with both sides picking up bookings for dissent and fouls. Wolves midfielder Thomas Doyle was shown a yellow card just a minute after Jean-Ricner Bellegarde had been booked. The match statistics reflected a contest Wolves edged, with 58% possession and 15 shots to Portsmouth's eight, but they managed only two efforts on target.
Peixoto's side now turn their attention to Saturday's home fixture against Watford. The draw leaves Wolves 12th in the league table, a position they will be aiming to improve from when they host the Hornets. Their recent form of two wins, one draw and two defeats from their last five matches, which includes a 1-0 loss at Middlesbrough on Saturday 10 October and a 1-0 win over West Brom on Sunday 20 September, shows the need for greater consistency.
The club's official report on the match confirmed the lack of first-half action, stating that "neither side managing a shot on target" in the opening 45 minutes. It also detailed that Tawanda Chirewa, a half-time substitute, struck the crossbar shortly after his introduction. Wolves' recent form stands at two wins, one draw and two losses from their last five matches.
