In-form Ivan Toney struck again as Brentford earned a deserved win at Wolves. A third goal in four games since the striker’s return from his ban for breaching betting regulations clinched a 2-0 victory at Molineux after Christian Nørgaard’s first-half header.

The Bees earned just their third win in 12 Premier League games and gained revenge for Wolves’ 4-1 victory in December and dumping them out of the FA Cup last month. Pedro Neto twice hit the post and Craig Dawson had a goal disallowed for offside but Wolves failed to score at Molineux in the league for the first time in a year.

Brentford climbed to 14th following a first away win since October, with Wolves 10th, after a victory which should have been greater. The visitors missed several chances, starting after 11 minutes, when Sergio Reguilón seized on José Sá’s misplaced pass to leave Neal Maupay with just the goalkeeper to beat but Sá redeemed himself.

It was a poor miss from the striker and, from the corner, Sá denied Maupay again. Wolves lost Matheus Cunha – hat-trick hero in the win at Chelsea last week – after just 19 minutes following an awkward fall and it nearly got worse for the hosts a minute later when the Bees blew a big chance.

Reguilón’s low cross caused problems and Rayan Aït-Nouri managed to stop Nathan Collins turning in at the far post, only for the ball to run for Mads Roerslev but the unmarked Dane blasted over. It was a warning for Wolves and Brentford carried the greater threat with Maupay wasteful again after 31 minutes, shooting straight at Sa after working his way into the box.

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The visitors continued to find openings but, ultimately, it was from a set-piece from where they found a 35th-minute opener. From a Wolves perspective it was a mess as, from Reguilón’s corner, Nørgaard shrugged off Dawson’s weak challenge to nod in with Sá nowhere.

For Brentford, it was a deserved lead but they needed Mark Flekken to keep it intact when he turned Neto’s header onto the post two minutes before the break. The forward was denied by the woodwork again four minutes into the second half when his deflected strike hit the post and just a minute later Neto thought he had conjured a leveller.

Brentford were unable to clear his corner and, when it was returned to the Portugal star, his fine delivery was glanced in by Dawson, only for VAR to narrowly rule him offside. Fuelled by a sense of injustice, Wolves improved but still struggled to create clear openings. Aït-Nouri nodded over and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde shot over but they never troubled Flekken.

The hosts began to wane and while Toney had been well marshalled he tested Sá from distance with 17 minutes left – before doubling the lead three minutes later. He had ben quiet all afternoon but a fine cushioned finish from Vitaly Janelt’s cross, after Wolves lost possession, sealed the points.

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