Shropshire Star

Wolves boss Nuno: Mistakes cost us

Nuno Espirito Santo admitted mistakes cost his team as they were held to a 3-3 draw at home to Bristol City.

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Nuno Espirito Santo (© AMA / Sam Bagnall)

A thrilling game at Molineux saw Wolves twice take the lead through goals from Leo Bonatini and Diogo Jota before having to rely on a late equaliser from captain Danny Batth to salvage a point.

The Robins scored twice from set pieces and the Wolves boss admitted that was something they'd have to work on.

Nuno said: "It was a good game of football, it had a bit of everything, but we're disappointed with the result.

"That moment (with Batth's equaliser) we showed character to fight back and put some justice in the result, this was very good. I thought we deserved to win.

"We made clear mistakes that produced the opponent's goals which we have to look at.

"On the game situations, the chances we created, we were the better team. But this is football, when you make mistakes you are punished.

"The first half was totally ours, good football, good chances (then) a bouncing ball in the box...set pieces. Football is not only character, sometimes you have to use your head and manage the situation.

"Set pieces is what we have to look at, to get better, we cannot afford to make these mistakes again."

A tempestuous affair saw Nuno and Robins boss Lee Johnson spoken to by the referee, who gave Bristol City a penalty for a handball by Ruben Vinagre but denied Wolves one when Danny Batth was barged over in the box – something which led Nuno to race down the touchline to yell at the assistant referee.

"It should be a penalty," Nuno said of the Batth decision. "It's clear. I don't want to judge the work of the referees, I know it's a tough job.

"But for me it goes beyond these decisions, it's the way they handle the game. Bristol started aggressively – I think there should be more protection to our players, the way they were kicked.

"I didn't see (Bristol City's penalty) clearly. If it's handball, I don't know if it's a distance that it gives him enough time to hide his hands.

"But the other was a clear penalty, I don't understand why he didn't give it.

"(The referee) asked for some relax. Me and Lee we know each other a long way ago. It's football, it's good, normal."

"For us, too many chances (missed). The way we moved the ball was very good, good combinations.

"I'm disappointed with the result - not the work of my players."