Ruben Neves’ second-half strike earned Wolves all three points at Brentford, in a game that was halted for more than 25 minutes in the first half because of a clash of heads and a drone hovering above the ground.
Referee Peter Bankes took both teams off the pitch just after the half-hour mark when the device was spotted above the Brentford Community Stadium.
That came after a six-minute break in play as a result of a nasty collision involving Brentford team-mates Mathias Jensen and Rico Henry.
Both sets of players looked bemused as Bankes ordered them off the field, while supporters looked just as confused before an announcement over the Tannoy confirmed the reason for the second delay.
The teams re-emerged more than 15 minutes later but needed to warm up again because of the lengthy stoppage. When play did eventually resume, 19 minutes were added on at the end of the first half.
“It was a strange first half,” Wolves manager Bruno Lage said afterwards. “They tried to understand what happened, tried to find the man who controlled the drone.
“We came inside and talked a little bit about the game. Sometimes we don’t have that time during the game to chat.”
Lage’s opposite number Thomas Frank said: “It was a crazy game – we 100% didn’t deserve to lose at all.
“We started fantastic until the break with the drone and the two concussion things. We were aggressive, good on the break, but after that Wolves were better.”
The visitors took a deserved lead three minutes into the second half when Joao Moutinho played a neat one-two with Nelson Semedo before finding the far corner with the outside of his right foot.
Ivan Toney steered home Bryan Mbeumo’s free-kick to equalise against the run of play, moments after Bankes had overturned his decision to send off Wolves defender Toti Gomes for a challenge on Kristoffer Ajer.
But Neves restored the visitors’ lead with a well-placed finish into the bottom corner from the edge of the box, before Adama Traore had a goal ruled out for offside in second-half stoppage time.
Brentford manager Frank was shown a second yellow card for remonstrating with referee Bankes after the final whistle.
The win extends Wolves’ unbeaten run in all competitions to six games, while Brentford have now lost their last four Premier League fixtures – although they remain eight points above the bottom three.
Wolves victorious on bizarre afternoon
Brentford were starting to stamp their authority on the game when the collision between Janssen and Henry left both players covered in blood and requiring lengthy treatment on the pitch. The pair were eventually taken off as concussion substitutions.
An even longer stoppage followed when the drone was spotted near the roof of the stadium, resulting in the players being taken off.
When the game restarted, Lage’s team gradually began to pin the Bees inside their own half and broke the deadlock when Moutinho curled home his second goal in three league appearances.
Toney’s clinical finish from Mbeumo’s delivery – the striker’s seventh goal in all competitions this season – was the hosts’ first effort on target and looked for a while like it might earn them an unlikely point, but Frank’s team were firmly second best and have their work cut out to arrest a worrying run.
Addressing his dismissal after full-time, the 48-year-old manager said: “I will put my hands up. I tell my players to keep their emotions in check and not get stupid cards and of course that was stupid of me.
“The first yellow was for confronting a Wolves player and then I, irritated, turned around and [the referee] said it was too aggressive.”
As for Wolves, they have now won four of their past five league matches and trail fourth-placed Manchester United by just four points, with a game in hand on Ralf Rangnick’s side.
Player of the match
Rúben NevesRúben Neves
Brentford
-
Squad number17Player nameToneyAverage rating
6.22
-
Squad number19Player nameMbeumoAverage rating
5.77
-
Squad number6Player nameNørgaard
Average rating5.70
-
Squad number20Player nameAjer
Average rating5.64
-
Squad number18Player nameJansson
Average rating5.61
-
Squad number3Player nameHenry
Average rating5.57
-
Squad number8Player nameJensen
Average rating5.57
-
Squad number30Player nameRoerslev
Average rating5.55
-
Squad number7Player nameCanós
Average rating5.54
-
Squad number49Player nameLössl
Average rating5.53
-
Squad number27Player nameJanelt
Average rating5.47
-
Squad number5Player namePinnock
Average rating5.38
-
Squad number26Player nameBaptiste
Average rating5.33
-
Squad number11Player nameWissa
Average rating4.66
-
Squad number14Player nameGhoddos
Average rating4.44
-
Squad number9Player nameForss
Average rating4.29
Wolverhampton Wanderers
-
Squad number8Player nameRúben Neves
Average rating8.51
-
Squad number28Player nameJoão Moutinho
Average rating8.41
-
Squad number16Player nameCoady
Average rating8.12
-
Squad number22Player nameNélson Semedo
Average rating7.87
-
Squad number37Player nameTraoré
Average rating7.80
-
Squad number23Player nameKilman
Average rating7.80
-
Squad number1Player nameJosé Sá
Average rating7.73
-
Squad number3Player nameAït-Nouri
Average rating7.71
-
Squad number10Player nameDaniel Podence
Average rating7.63
-
Squad number24Player nameToti
Average rating7.47
-
Squad number32Player nameDendoncker
Average rating7.37
-
Squad number11Player nameTrincão
Average rating7.14
-
Squad number17Player nameFábio Silva
Average rating7.07
Line-ups
Brentford
Formation 3-5-2
- 49Lössl
- 20Ajer
- 18JanssonBooked at 75mins
- 5Pinnock
- 7CanósSubstituted forGhoddosat 83′minutes
- 8JensenSubstituted forBaptisteat 27′minutesSubstituted forForssat 79′minutes
- 6NørgaardBooked at 83mins
- 27Janelt
- 3HenrySubstituted forRoerslevat 26′minutesSubstituted forWissaat 58′minutes
- 19Mbeumo
- 17Toney
Substitutes
- 9Forss
- 11Wissa
- 14Ghoddos
- 26Baptiste
- 28Bidstrup
- 29Bech Sørensen
- 30Roerslev
- 36Stevens
- 40Fernández
Wolves
Formation 3-5-2
- 1Malheiro de SáBooked at 90mins
- 23Kilman
- 16Coady
- 24GomesBooked at 70mins
- 22Nélson Semedo
- 32Dendoncker
- 8NevesBooked at 60mins
- 28João Moutinho
- 3Aït-Nouri
- 10PodenceSubstituted forMachado Trincãoat 90+3′minutes
- 17Fábio SilvaSubstituted forTraoréat 75′minutes
Substitutes
- 2Hoever
- 5Marçal
- 6Cavaco Jordão
- 11Machado Trincão
- 20Tomás Oliveira
- 21Ruddy
- 33Giles
- 37Traoré
- 39Cundle
- Referee:
- Peter Bankes
Match Stats
Live Text
-
Match ends, Brentford 1, Wolverhampton Wanderers 2.
-
Second Half ends, Brentford 1, Wolverhampton Wanderers 2.
-
VAR Decision: No Goal Brentford 1-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers.
-
Offside, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Rúben Neves tries a through ball, but Adama Traoré is caught offside.
-
Corner, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Conceded by Pontus Jansson.
-
Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Trincão replaces Daniel Podence.
-
José Sá (Wolverhampton Wanderers) is shown the yellow card.
-
Attempt missed. Ivan Toney (Brentford) right footed shot from very close range is too high following a corner.
-
Attempt missed. Ethan Pinnock (Brentford) left footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Saman Ghoddos with a cross following a corner.
-
Corner, Brentford. Conceded by Conor Coady.
-
Attempt blocked. Ivan Toney (Brentford) header from very close range is blocked. Assisted by Christian Nørgaard with a headed pass.
-
Foul by Adama Traoré (Wolverhampton Wanderers).
-
Yoane Wissa (Brentford) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
-
Corner, Brentford. Conceded by Nélson Semedo.
-
Substitution, Brentford. Saman Ghoddos replaces Sergi Canós.
-
Christian Nørgaard (Brentford) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
-
João Moutinho (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
-
Foul by Christian Nørgaard (Brentford).
-
Attempt missed. Marcus Forss (Brentford) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right.
-
Substitution, Brentford. Marcus Forss replaces Shandon Baptiste.
- Our coverage of your Premier League club is bigger and better than ever before – here’s everything you need to know to make sure you never miss a moment