Ryan Bennett Day: An afternoon Wolves fans will never forget

Wolves fans know, though.  It’s Ryan Bennett day.  The seventh anniversary of the defender’s last gasp winner at Bristol City which provided one of so many magical moments of the Championship-winning season.  

Think Bully at the Hawthorns. Boly in Istanbul.  Henry at the Valley.  One of those out-of-body experiences of sheer, unadulterated delirium at being in close proximity to such incredible drama.

It was a top-of-the-table clash between irresistible force and immoveable object with league leaders Wolves heading to Ashton Gate on a run of ten unbeaten and City just one defeat in 13.

It didn’t look great for Wolves early on with Danny Batth’s harsh sending off and City going in front, only for their keeper Frank Fielding to also see red before Barry Douglas’s free kick leveller.

And it was Douglas who then teed up Bennett for a clinical last gasp header, celebrated not just by the adoring hordes of Wolves fans behind the goal but also, to the annoyance of the home contingent in the Directors Box, Head Coach Nuno Espirito Santo, who himself had also been sent from the touchline.

Fun times!

“Even now that’s a moment and a goal which people still talk to me about,” Bennett recalls.

“We were both at the top of the table and it was one those big games around Christmas where it was imperative for both sides to win to get some key momentum heading into the New Year.

“You could feel it was a massive game with the atmosphere surrounding it on the night, even more so with the red cards and then Nuno sent off to the Directors Box.

“I had actually come on after Danny’s sending off, and the goal was one of those things that just sometimes happens in football.

“I don’t remember too much about it now, apart from Barry sticking it right on my head from the free kick, and everyone going mental as I ran off.

“It all happened so quickly, but what I do remember is the atmosphere in the dressing room afterwards – it felt like a result which helped us push on and clinch promotion over the rest of the season.”

There is also another December anniversary with which Bennett played a pivotal role during his three years at Molineux.

Almost 12 months later, another evening fixture, at home to Chelsea in the Premier League on December 5th.  

This time around, Wolves occupied 13th place in the Premier League having taken only a point from their previous six games, whilst Chelsea were third, having lost only one of their 14 league fixtures of the season.

With 39 minutes gone, the visitors, already a goal to the good, produced a great chance to extend their lead, and possibly put the game beyond Wolves’ reach, when an Eden Hazard pass sent Willian through on goal.

Step forward Bennett, who flew fearlessly across the penalty area to make a powerful, perfectly timed challenge, to block Willian’s shot at the expense of a corner.  Wolves hit back in the second half, to win 2-1.

“That was another big moment as we had been struggling a little bit and had a tough run of fixtures coming up,” Bennett recalls.

“I was lucky enough to read the through ball and have a bit of a head start, it made me look a lot quicker than I was!

“On another day he gets a shot off or I’m late and get a red card, but this time I was fortunate to get a decent contact on the ball.

“We went on to go on and win that game, and make progress in the season, and while that tackle is something a lot of people talk about, it wasn’t so much the case within the dressing room.

“For us, it was all about getting a result in such an important game and giving us a platform to go on and cement ourselves in the Premier League.”

Bennett describes these two match-defining incidents at opposite ends of the pitch with the same sort of understated attitude as not only how he played the game, but also retired, after over 550 first team appearances, last summer.

There was no big announcement or fanfare, no highlights montage on social media, just a quiet and low-key disappearance into the distance after his final appearance, helping Cambridge to a goalless draw in front of a crowd of 6,378 at Port Vale in April.