Hennessy Proves a Class Apart As Heroics Keep Albion at Bay

There is, it appears, at least one able young British goalkeeper capable of keeping his nerve at crucial moments. Unfortunately for whichever benighted, if enriched, individual eventually agrees to manage the English national side, Wayne Hennessy is a Welshman, and proud of it.

Already a record-breaker - he first came to public notice last season by keeping clean sheets in his first nine matches in league football when he went on loan to Stockport County at the beginning of the year - the 20-year-old has since established himself as No1 for both Wolverhampton and his country. While Scott Carson was turning to stone at Wembley last week, Hennessy was keeping Germany scoreless in Frankfurt, and Albion, the Championship's most potent team, proved equally unable to beat him yesterday.

Exuding a calm competence all the more remarkable for his tender years, Hennessy pulled off two wonderful second-half saves to win Mick McCarthy's team a point that keeps them in a play-off position. The first was the best, diving full length and touching Filipe Teixeira's curling drive on to his right-hand post, but the second, a solid save to his right to keep out Zoltan Gera's 86th-minute penalty, will forever seal his place in the hearts of Wolves supporters who have not seen their team win at the Hawthorns for 11 years.

"With the penalty he guessed right and saved it, the other was fabulous," acknowledged McCarthy, afterwards. Actually, Hennessy didn't guess at all. "I watched Gera's run-up, and knew he was going to come back on himself," said the young goalkeeper dispassionately.

McCarthy also made the point that the Wolves back four deserved credit for restricting the number of chances Albion created, but that Hennessy was not constantly under pressure highlighted his excellence when he was called to action.

"If you're talented, and can play, age isn't a factor," said McCarthy. "I do think he's grown in stature since he made his debut for us, in the Championship play-off last season."

McCarthy thought the influence of the former Arsenal goalkeeper Graham Stack, currently at Wolves on loan from Reading, has been important in Hennessy's development.

"Graham is a bubbly character, and he's helped Wayne's personality blossom, which in turn has helped him on the pitch. He's a far better goalkeeper for it," said McCarthy. When it was put to him that other, bigger, clubs will surely be watching Hennessy closely, McCarthy shrugged. "Absolutely. If I was a bigger club, I'd be looking at him. And the likes of Seyi Olofinjana and Michael Kightly. But that's how football works. I'll be looking at players from lower divisions, and trying to nick them."

The game itself showed a clash of styles. Albion, without the experience of Kevin Phillips up front, experimented with Gera and Teixeira getting up in support of Ishmael Miller, at least until the final 20 minutes, when the manager Tony Mowbray sent on Craig Beattie. The Scot won the penalty, going down under Neill Collins' unnecessary challenge as he picked up possession just inside the penalty area, giving Gera the chance to win the game. Up to that point, the game had been, as Albion manager Tony Mowbray said, an interesting contrast of styles.

"It was a team probing and trying to create openings against a team counter-attacking and getting lots of men behind the ball and breaking very, very well. If you're a football purist, it was a very good game to watch," suggested Mowbray. A few moments of inspiration apart, the standard wasn't in fact that high, but it was never boring, and both sides had good chances to win it.

Olofinjana was the most culpable, missing with a close-range header when unmarked in the first half, and with a shot from no more than seven yards when Darron Gibson's intelligent pull-back found him unmarked in the Albion penalty area seven minutes from time.

What was notable, apart from Hennessy's heroics, was how much closer the teams are to each other than they were last season. This is true of the Championship as a whole, which means either the coaching is improving across the board, or quite possibly that every team at this level is much of a muchness. Certainly it is hard to believe that more than a handful of these players has a Premiership future. Hennessy obviously has; Kightly and Gibson of Wolves and Albion's young forward Ishmael Miller, perhaps.

Miller, whose pace and power has set him apart this season, looked a little overwhelmed yesterday, and his misery was complete when he was carried off shortly before the end with what Mowbray suggested were damaged knee ligaments.

Man of the match: Wayne Hennessy

Assured decision making, commanding in the air; less than a year after his league debut Hennessy confirmed himself to be the best goalkeeper outside the Premiership.

Best Moment Superb dive and stretch high to his right to touch Teixeira's goal-bound shot on to the post.