Wolverhampton Wanderers U23s ran out 2-0 winners over Crystal Palace to give their promotion hopes a big boost.
Theo Corbeanu and Owen Hesketh provided the goals for James’ Collins side in what was their third outing of 2021.
Wolves made a lightening fast start, with Corbeanu getting to the byline before seeing his cross deflected into the net by Palace defender Jake Giddings.
Hesketh would then head Wolves two goals to the good, with Eagles goalkeeper Oliver Webber parrying Hugo Bueno’s effort into the 18-year-old’s path.
A number of chances followed for Wolves, with Corbeanu particularly lively.
Speaking afterwards, Collins made sure to praise a string of players, but put in a particularly nice word for midfielder Hong Wan, who was described in the Wolves match report as being ‘impressive’.
He said of the 20-year-old: “I’m really pleased for Hong [Wan] because he’s had to be patient and he’s had to wait, but he’s taken his opportunities well this year.
“He knows what he is, he knows what his strengths are, and he plays to his strengths very well, and I thought he played really well today. He made the odd mistake, like they all do, but I thought he was good.”
Encouraging words, but Hong set for exit
Hong joined the club in 2019 from Yeovil Town, and then had a short loan stint with Croatian outfit NK Varazdin, where he didn’t actually play any first-team games.
After returning to the Wolves academy last summer, Croydon-born Hong has gone on to make 11 appearances this season, with 10 coming in PL2 Division 2.
Sadly it seems Wolves are actually set to lose Hong at the end of the season
Via The Star, Malaysian outfit Johor Darul Ta’zim have an agreement to take the starlet, and hopefully he won’t prove to be another regret like Pedro Goncalves.