- Jack Taylor’s 94th-minute winner earned Ipswich a vital win at Molineux
- Gary O’Neil’s side continue their losing slump as Wolves lie 19th in the table
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Jack Taylor’s injury-time header earned Ipswich victory in a relegation six-pointer to heap the pressure on Wolves manager Gary O’Neil.
Molineux already felt toxic with chants against chairman Jeff Shi and the Fosun ownership when Matt Doherty’s own goal put the visitors ahead after 15 minutes.
Matheus Cunha scored what appeared a precious equaliser after 72 minutes but in the final attack, Jack Clarke’s corner was converted by his fellow Tractors Boy substitute.
As Ipswich’s bench sprinted onto the pitch in celebration at full-time, there were scuffles involving Wolves players Rayan Ait-Nouri and Cunha underlying the importance of the result.
The Suffolk side are now only a point from safety while O’Neil is next-to-bottom and sweating on taking charge of next weekend’s visit to Leicester.
The big names turned up at Molineux. Music legends Robert Plant and Ed Sheeran were present cheer on their respective teams and so was former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, a guest of his former assistant Kieran McKenna.
Jack Taylor scored the first Premier League goal of his career to earn Ipswich all three points
Matt Doherty scored an own goal for the hosts in the 15th minute, handing Ipswich the lead
Matheus Cunha levelled the affair in the 72nd minute to score his ninth league goal this season
O’Neil gave Nelson Semedo the captain’s armband instead of Mario Lemina, who also started, but the change didn’t bring a transformation of luck as the visitors struck first in bizarre circumstances.
Liam Delap showed great strength to hold off Semedo and cut back for Omari Hutchinson whose shot was cleared off the line by Doherty.
From the rebound, Conor Chaplin’s strike was blocked by Toti’s header but it then hit the back of Doherty and deflected over the line.
Wolves needed to show huge resolve with home fans aiming abuse at Shi as the Wolves hierarchy listened on.
After 23 minutes, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde missed a huge chance to leave O’Neil holding his arms out appealing the heavens.
Cunha and Lemina combined to set up the winger who lacked composure and thrashed the ball over from 10 yards.
Jorgen Stand Larsen then saw a snapshot saved low by Arijanet Muric and he had a further dig blocked by Cameron Burgess.
As a riposte Jens Cajuste broke through the lines for Ipswich before setting up Hutchinson for a shot handled well by Johnstone.
Gary O’Neil has won just two of his last 15 games with Wolves, who still languish in 19th-place
Rayan Ait-Nouri’s booking on the stroke of half-time was his fifth of the season and earns him a one-match ban.
Boos rang around Molineux at the interval and O’Neil hooked Brazilian midfielder Andre for Tommy Doyle. But it was Ipswich who nearly added a second goal immediately after the restart when Wes Burns forced a flying save from Johnstone.
Delap was in the right spot as Chaplin’s cross fizzed into him but from close range the ball hit the striker’s knee and flew wide.
O’Neil bowed to the crowd’s wishes by sending on Guedes for the final quarter with Doherty making way as Wolves reverted to a back-four.
And after 72 minutes, the substitute played a part as Cunha fired them level.
Larsen’s power in the air got Wolves motoring forward and the begloved Guedes slipped a pass into Cunha whose fierce finish from an acute angle packed enough power to beat Muric at his near post.
It ended a run of three goals without a game for the Brazilian and lifted the gloomy atmosphere around the stadium.
Larsen flashed a finish just wide and Cunha was foiled by Muric as Wolves went for a grandstand finish.
Former Man United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was present to watch Ipswich’s victory
Ipswich, who lost last weekend having led until the 87th minute, made changes late on to avoid another disaster.
Not only did they achieve that, but they provided an unlikely twist after three minutes of injury-time had been signalled.
Clarke aimed his corner high and into the six-yard box and Taylor rose highest to crash in a header.
It was too much for some Wolves players to take. Cunha had to be dragged away from the touchline as Ait-Nouri was also involved in a fracas. In the stands, the chants of ‘We want Fosun out’ got louder and louder.
