Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-2 Preston North End
- Published
Leo Bonatini has scored seven goals for Wolves this season
Championship leaders Wolves held off a revival by 10-man Preston to earn another home victory at Molineux.
Ivan Cavaleiro gave them the lead when he tapped in Barry Douglas' cross, and Leo Bonatini scored from the spot after Josh Harrop fouled Matt Doherty.
Bonatini slotted home his second after Jota's shot was saved by Chris Maxwell but Jordan Hugill headed a goal back and Conor Coady put into his own net.
Preston had Alan Browne sent off for a second yellow late on.
After a quiet first half, the game opened up after the break and, following Cavaleiro's opener, Wolves loanee Bonatini netted for the third game in a row.
Soon after, the Brazilian scored his seventh goal of the campaign to give the hosts what looked like a comfortable three-goal cushion.
Preston, who went into the game on the back of a nine-game unbeaten run, set up a tense finale as Hugill and Coady's own goal made it 3-2.
A feisty game reached its peak in the closing minutes when Browne dismissed, but Preston could not find an equaliser in the six minutes of added time.
Wolves have now not lost at home in their past six games.
Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo:
"Three points is important, but what does not leave us totally pleased is our performance. In the first half, there was too much stopping, too much holding.
"Refereeing is difficult and it is unfair for me to judge all the situations, but what I saw was too much holding on our players. He (referee Stephen Martin) must stop this and punish them. It's football, and holding is not part of football.
"But we stood up to it. I'm not complaining about the game plan of our opponents. It's our job to find solutions, but there is a referee and we cannot find solutions for holding."
Preston boss Alex Neil:
"I thought that the penalty was extremely harsh. I have seen it back and there was not much contact.
"Then if you look back at the third goal our goalkeeper is clearly impeded and the referee chooses to do nothing about it.
"To add insult to injury at the end of the match there is a melee in the middle of the pitch, two of our players get booked, one gets sent off and one of theirs is booked and we have clear video footage that one of their players elbows Ben Pearson straight in the face.
"I know it sounds like sour grapes, but I am fed up getting bad decisions against us at times."