Gary O'Neil's Wolves have seldom been criticized for a lack of effort. To perform well and still lose is not a promising sign, despite numerous tales of misfortune. While their manager's piercing blue eyes may often flare with a sense of injustice at officiating and VAR, individual errors, key players sold in the summer, and lapses in concentration accumulate. Here, at last, the hard work and flashes of quality paid off. Wolves fought to the end when all seemed lost, orchestrating a thrilling two-goal comeback capped by Matheus Cunha's last-second equalizer.
Danny Welbeck's 45th-minute goal had undone Wolves' solid first-half efforts, while in the second half, the visitors' finishing quality let them down before Evan Ferguson's first goal of the season put Brighton two up. Would O'Neil survive until next Saturday's meeting with fellow strugglers Crystal Palace? It seemed doubtful.
Fabian Hürzeler, Brighton's talented manager, is gaining valuable experience, and should learn from a game that slipped from his team's grasp. At Brighton, he will be given time to learn from such mistakes. For O'Neil, whose team last won in the league against Luton in April, the time for experimentation has long passed, even if Tommy Doyle's midfield passing range being employed from the start suggested a change of strategy.
Welbeck, recovered from the back injury sustained at Newcastle, was fit to lead the Brighton forward line and the home team began with a dominance of possession, before the best early chance fell to Doyle, set up by Matheus Cunha's runs, but was missed over Bart Verbruggen's goal. Welbeck, dominant in the air, next clipped a header wide as the contest opened up. Rayan Aït-Nouri's interpretation of left wing-back as a free role saw him make his trademark runs across the Amex pitch. In him, João Gomes, and Cunha, Wolves do not lack individual flair but a lack of solidity continues to cost them.
In a hard-fought first half, O'Neil, understandably, was the more anxious of the managers in the technical area. José Sá, questioned for his submissive role in City's late winner last week, made a fine full-length save from a powerful Carlos Baleba shot. Shaun Derry, taking on the role of the recently discarded set-piece coach, Jack Wilson, rallied Wolves' defenders into the correct positions as the corners piled up for Brighton.
It seemed Wolves might see out the first half, only for Ferdi Kadioglu's pass to find Georginio Rutter in position to set up Welbeck for a simple finish and his sixth of the season. The evergreen Mancunian is in the form of his life and O'Neil was left to wonder how his defense had been breached so easily.
Half-time brought two O'Neil changes, Pablo Sarabia and Carlos Forbs for Toti and Mario Lemina. The attacking switches mirrored Brighton's shape and suggested O'Neil was going for broke. Such boldness did not immediately change the direction of traffic; Brighton continued to be on the front foot but gradually, Wolves gained more territory.
That left space in which Brighton could counter and Welbeck should have done better when Sarabia inadvertently played him through. Yasin Ayari, a buzzing presence in midfield, also shot wide when Wolves again lost the ball in a dangerous area. Then came Wolves' best chance yet. Sarabia's laser-guided pass finding Cunha, his finish rather less accurate. Cunha next forced Verbruggen into his first proper save as Wolves sought an equalizer and possible redemption for their manager, by now in perpetual sideline motion, unable to hide his anxiety.
Santiago Bueno's header forced another save, and Hürzeler into changes, Welbeck withdrawn for Ferguson. The chances kept falling to Wolves, but Jørgen Strand Larsen could only head into Verbruggen's hands. Mats Wieffer's extra height was then – fatefully – introduced by Hürzeler.
Ferguson's goal, set up by his fellow substitute Tariq Lamptey, might have extinguished Wolves and O'Neil's hopes, only for Aït-Nouri to scramble home, setting up a chase for an equalizer. Cunha, after Wieffer had refused the chance to hold the ball in the corner, embarked on a solo run, the ball ricocheting off Jan Paul van Hecke's ankle and in. O'Neil celebrated like any man granted such salvation would.
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