Van Hecke Saves Point for Brighton Following Bart Verbruggen's Costly Error Versus Wolves

Jørgen Strand Larsen, after being a big-money transfer collapse late in the window, was seen angrily confronting his team's coaching staff when the match ended. This came following his second-half substitution, just moments after he struck the post with Wolves ahead thanks to the Brighton goalkeeper's unfortunate deflection. Brighton pushed to get a last-gasp leveler, that finally arrived through Jan Paul van Hecke.

Wolves Frustrated Again by Last-Minute Strike

This marks the second successive match, Wolves' attempt to kickstart their campaign underway was thwarted by a late equaliser. Vítor Pereira had been dismissed just before the top flight's last-placed team went ahead, when Marshall Munetsi's shot rebounded off the bar and in off the Brighton goalkeeper.

Fabian Hürzeler's side earned a draw for their second-half dominance, but Wolves, in their second consecutive match following their draw at Tottenham, appeared as if they were going to hang on for a maiden league win of the season before allowing a late equaliser.

Match Explodes with Incidents

Strand Larsen looked Wolves' most likely source for a crucial second goal, and the hosts looked less able to get out with Jhon Arias spearheading the attack. The game exploded into life in the middle of the first half.

The Wolves boss was furious at Jarred Gillett's decision not to award a free-kick when João Gomes was challenged by Baleba in the middle in the Brighton half. Then, after the official cautioned Baleba for an altogether clearer infraction on Hugo Bueno, the dismissal was issued to the Wolves manager for striking a replacement ball from a marker at the referee's dugout. Although he promptly said sorry, it was evidently a reckless action. The fire had been ignited.

After a long set-piece into the Brighton box was headed back into the danger area, Welbeck only managed to head the ball out as far as Munetsi, to the right of the penalty spot, who dispatched a true hammer of a strike goalwards. Although the keeper managed to deflect the ball against the underside of the crossbar, it rebounded back and over the goal-line off the goalkeeper's hand.

One almost turned into two, only for the Brighton keeper to calmly tip Ladislav Krejci's headed effort, from another high angled set-piece, over the bar. The visitors, with their deeply impressive history at their ground – they had won their previous four matches here – and a good start to the campaign to boot, broke forward with occasional threat.

After the Break Drama

When Jackson Tchatatchoua underhit a back-pass, Gruda was entitled to challenge Johnstone for the ball, though he did catch the Wolves goalkeeper with his follow-through. After a niggly period, the importance of the next goal became increasingly apparent. It almost fell Wolves' way, soon in the second period, only for Arias to place high from six yards after a superb break spearheaded by Larsen, after he allowed Hwang to invite the overlapping Hugo Bueno to deliver low.

The away side, somewhat slow in the first half, looked more potent for the introduction of Georginio Rutter and, from Minteh's left-side cross, the replacement could barely have struck his shot any more sweetly.

Johnstone, however, vindicating his retention in the starting lineup over José Sá, leapt back to his side to deny him. The Brighton coach had previously asked Yasin Ayari to patrol the back of his midfield on his own, leading Brighton to more territorial control, when he introduced the forward Stefanos Tzimas to partner Welbeck in attack, with Diego Gómez just behind them.

Late Twist as Defender Scores

The Seagulls have scored more times against Wolves than against every other team in the Premier League. But Wolves were determined to hang on to what they held and so came close to sealing the game to bed when Strand Larsen shot against the base of the post. The Norway forward, yet to regain full fitness after an Achilles injury, did not look happy when he was taken off minutes later as the assistant, Pereira's number two, looked to shore up the win. The move backfired though as Brighton drew level with four minutes left.

Wolves believed the ball had already gone behind for a goal-kick when Tchatatchoua ensured by touching it on. From Minteh's short set-piece, De Cuyper delivered and, after the substitute got a slight flick-on, Van Hecke thudded home only his second goal in seventy-seven league games for the club.