Albion 3 Wolves 0: Record-breaking start keeps push for Europe on track

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Jack Hinshelwood scores Albion's quickest Premier League goal in comfortable win over relegated Wolves.

Bruce Talbot

2026-05-09T16:53+01:00

Delight for skipper Lewis Dunk who celebrated his return to the team by scoring after five minutes. 📷James Boardman

Albion’s push for Europe is back on track after they eased past relegated Wolves at the Amex.

Last week’s defeat at Newcastle - the first for more than two months - was soon forgotten as Albion scored their quickest Premier League goal through Jack Hinshelwood after 35 seconds before another header - this time from skipper Lewis Dunk - meant Albion had scored twice in the opening five minutes of a Premier League game for the first time.

Although Wolves hit the bar in the second half they didn’t offer a sustained threat on a comfortable afternoon for Albion who embellished the scoreline through Yankuba Minteh’s powerful close-range finish with three minutes left.

It was a nice way for Fabian Hurzeler to celebrate signing a new contract and with two games to play Albion are seventh, very much in the mix for European football with Leeds United away and Manchester United at the Amex to come.

Jumping for joy: Jack Hinshelwood celebrates after scoring for the third successive game after 37 seconds. 📷James Boardman

Albion tore into Wolves from the kick-off. Kaoru Mitoma broke from midfield and despite stumbling he managed to get the ball out to Maxim De Cuyper wide on the left. De Cuyper stood up an inviting cross which Hinshelwood rose to head powerfully home at the far post.

It got even better in the fifth minute with a second assist for De Cuyper, whose corner from the right found Dunk unmarked and the returning skipper rose above Joao Gomes and powered his header past keeper Dan Bentley, who was left helpless for the second time as Wolves’ zonal marking was exposed.

There was nearly a third on 13 minutes with De Cuyper high up the pitch again to feed Mitoma inside the box but his shot flew into the side netting.

A pat on the head for Maxim De Cuyper from the skipper after De Cuyper's corner created Lewis Dunk's goal. 📷James Boardman

Bentley pushed away Danny Welbeck’s header and Wolves, who haven’t won away from Molineux in the Premier League for more than a year, looked in danger of being swept away by Brighton’s relentless press and their constant switches to get Mitoma and Yankuba Minteh surging towards Wolves’ back five.

The intensity dropped before the break and Hurzeler wasn’t happy after some sloppy passing by his team, the head coach demanding better.

Pascal Gross was the next Albion player to benefit from an unchallenged header in the box but he directed his effort at Bentley as the home side probed for the third goal which would put matters to bed.

Lewis Dunk powers home Albion's second goal as he heads home a corner. 📷James Boardman

Instead it was Wolves who found a spark from nowhere. Yerson Mosquera headed Mateus Mane’s cross against the bar and Hwang Hee-Chan bent a right-foot shot past Bart Verbruggen but against the post, although an offside flag had been raised.

Wolves had improved in the second period but Albion were cruising and substitute Yasin Ayari nearly scored with his first touch when he flicked De Cuyper’s pass towards goal but Bentley made a scrambling save.

2-0 to the Albion as Lewis Dunk's header powers past Dan Bentley. 📷Simon Roe

But the Wolves’ keeper was beaten again with four minutes to go. Substitute Georginio did brilliantly to win the ball back off Mosquera and slip in Minteh who fired powerfully into the roof of the net from the corner of the six-yard box. Job done.

Albion: Verbruggen, De Cuyper (March 87), Dunk, van Hecke, Kadioglu, Mitoma (Veltman 57), Baleba (Ayari 75), Gross, Minteh, Hinshelwood (Kostoulas 87), Welbeck (Rutter 75).