Ings and Armstrong fire Saints into FA Cup quarter-finals

Saints made a fine start at Molineux and squandered good chances, but Ings’s strike four minutes into the second half broke the deadlock, after an incorrect offside call was overturned by the video assistant referee.

Wolves called on some of their stars from the bench in search of a way back into the contest and came close with Adama Traore denied by Fraser Forster, before the 2-0 win was sealed at the death through Armstrong after a mistake by goalkeeper John Ruddy.

The stand-out team news from a bitterly cold evening in the Midlands saw Mohammed Salisu handed an eagerly awaited debut, having not played previously since arriving from Real Valladolid in August.

He was one of five players to come into the side after Saturday’s loss at Newcastle with Forster starting in goal, while Kyle Walker-Peters and Armstrong both returned from injury. The other change saw Moussa Djenepo introduced in place of Che Adams, with Nathan Redmond partnering Ings up front.

Wolves made plenty of changes themselves with the likes of Rui Patricio, Pedro Neto and Conor Coady dropping to the bench.

It was Saints, on the back of four straight defeats, who looked the far brighter side out of the blocks, dominating the early stages.

The visitors won a string of corners with Armstrong the liveliest threat, seeing a shot blocked before having another fumbled by goalkeeper Ruddy, with Ings not quite able to turn in on the follow-up.

Ings then did well to flick a bouncing ball over the head of Leander Dendoncker in the box, but Roman Saiss got back well to block the volley.

Max Kilman was next to throw his body on the line, sliding in to deny Armstrong after the Scot had led a swift break.

Djenepo then saw a shot held by Ruddy before Wolves began to get a foothold back into the contest.

But, five minutes before the half was out, Saints carved out their clearest opening. Ryan Bertrand crossed to the back post for Redmond, who shrugged off Jonny but got his shot all wrong.

The hosts also squandered a clear chance before the half was out. After a foul out wide by Djenepo, Moutinho delivered the free-kick into the box, where Saiss volleyed well over the bar.

The Moroccan did produce a vital interception at the other end moments later, to deny Ings a near-post finish from a low Bertrand delivery.

It was another cut-back cross from Bertrand which should have resulted in the opener just two minutes after the restart. The former Chelsea man picked out an onrushing Armstrong in the centre, who somehow turned wide, free in the box.

But Bertrand persisted and did have his assist moments later. A ball down the left picked out Ings, who just about did enough to force a shot beyond Ruddy after a fortunate ricochet. It looked as though the effort would be ruled out for offside after the flag was raised, but following a check by VAR Simon Hooper, he was deemed onside and the goal stood.

That seemed to spark Wolves into life. After Salisu had been caught in possession, Silva got in ahead of Jan Bednarek to meet the cross from Ki-Jana Hoever, but fired it over the crossbar.

With half an hour to play, Nuno Espirito Santo called for reinforcements, introducing attacking duo Adama Traore and Willian Jose.

But it was Saints who should have doubled their tally. Excellent work in midfield by Armstrong created the chance, slipping through for Redmond to chase, who cut onto his left foot but was denied by an excellent Ruddy stop.

Ruddy’s opposite number was finally called into action as the game went towards the final 10 minutes. A low cross from sub Neto caused Salisu problems, flashing through his legs and falling for Traore, whose shot was saved on the line by the feet of Forster.

And that allowed Saints to add a second at the death. Ruddy presented the ball straight to the feet of substitute Nathan Tella, who teed up Armstrong to fire home.

Saints were then awarded a penalty after Tella went down, but the foul was deemed to have taken place outside the box after consultation with VAR.

Saints: Forster; Walker-Peters, Bednarek, Salisu, Bertrand; Ward-Prowse, Romeu; Armstrong, Djenepo (Tella, 87); Ings (Adams, 83), Redmond.

Unused subs: Stephens, Vestergaard, Finnigan, Watts, Chauke, N’Lundulu, Lewis (g/k).

Booked: Walker-Peters, Romeu.

Wolves: Ruddy; Dendoncker, Saiss, Kilman; Hoever, Neves, Moutinho, Jonny (Ait-Nouri, h-t); Gibbs-White (Traore, 63), Vitinha (Neto, 69), Silva (Jose, 63).

Unused subs: Coady, Cundle, Otasowie, Semedo, Patricio (g/k).

Booked: Gibbs-White, Traore.

Referee: Jonathan Moss.

VAR: Simon Hooper.