Wolverhampton Wanderers outplayed West Bromwich Albion as Fer Lopez struck the only goal of the game to earn the hosts their first home Black Country derby victory in 15 years.
Without the injured Raul Jimenez, Cesar Peixoto’s side made light of the striker’s absence as they repeatedly tore holes in Albion’s backline – and were denied a larger victory only by the sheer brilliance of Baggies goalkeeper Max O’Leary.
The irony was that it took an error to hand Wolves all three points.
Albion’s usually reliable defender Nat Phillips underhit a backpass under pressure and Lopez nipped in to score his fourth Championship goal of the season.
It was pretty much all Wolves right from the first whistle. Rodrigo Gomes, Marshall Munetsi and Adam Armstrong went close before O’Leary produced possibly the save of the season to keep out Nasser Djiga’s point-blank header, somehow tipping it on to the bar.
Albion did have one 25-yard free-kick from Isaac Price which tested Jose Sa in the Wolves goal.
But then Mateus Mane’s left-foot shot was saved at the near post by O’Leary, who again had to be at his very best when he superbly stretched out his right arm to deny Munetsi from Mane’s left-wing cross.
Lopez also fired just wide – but when he got his next good chances eight minutes after the break, it was a different story.