Heck's Plan To Keep The Wolves At Bay Pays Off

Leaders held by stubborn Tykes.

- Chris Dunlavy

WOLVES boss Nuno Espirito Santo paid credit to opposite number Paul Heckingbottom after his table-topping side drew a rare blank.

A terrific rearguard action saw the Tykes become just the fourth side to keep a clean sheet against Wolves all season, and the first to deny Nuno’s men a single shot on target.

Diogo Jota hit the crossbar and missed a two-yard sitter as Barnsley clung on, but the visitors rarely threatened for any sustained period.

And the home side might even have pilfered victory at the death when substitute George Moncur fired wide from close range.

“Frustrated? No,” said Nuno, whose side are now unbeaten in 13 games and lead the Championship table by ten points.

“Barnsley are a good team. I have noticed many teams trying to adapt their game to stop our ideas, but that was not the case with Barnsley.

“Paul knows what he is doing. He has his own way. He prepares his team and they are well organised. They fight, they show great discipline. They have a way of playing that is difficult to break. We know that from the first game we played at Molineux.