Match Report: Preston North End beaten in second round of Carabao Cup by Premier League Wolverhampton Wanderers

First half goals from Raul Jimenez and Adama Traore were enough for Bruno Lage's men, with Dai Cornell saving a penalty in the dying moments of the first 45 too.

Ben Woodburn scored his first goal for PNE early in the second half but Ryan Lowe's side couldn't quite find a second goal to force the game beyond the 90 minutes.

Lowe made plenty of changes for the game, making eight alterations from the side that drew 0-0 with Watford in the Championship on Saturday.

Cornell came in for his PNE debut with Matt Olosunde and Ched Evans also getting their first starts of the season.

Partick Bauer, Greg Cunningham, Ali McCann, Woodburn and Emil Riis all also came into the starting line up.

The home side went with a strong line up, featuring many of their regulars from the Premier League and they were quickly at it, two minutes in their main man up top Jimenez had time to turn and shoot at goal but Cornell at full stretch got strong hands to it.

Ben Whiteman had North End's first shot of the game just two minutes later but it was comfortable for Matija Sarkic in the Wolves net.

The home side had the lead after eight minutes, Ait-Nouri getting away down the left hand side and squaring the ball across goal for Jimenez to tap into an empty net.

Wolves were showing their class in possession, keeping the ball and knocking it about effortlessly at times, Cunningham going into the ref's book after 21 minutes when Hwang Hee Chan sprinted past a couple of North End players before being felled by the Irishman.

Seven minutes later Leander Dendoncker should have doubled Wolves' lead, he met Traore's cross inside the area but only directed his header at Cornell in the middle of the goal.

A minute later however, they did double their lead. Traore exchanged a one-two with Nelson Semedo inside the PNE box, the latter flicking the ball up for Traore to volley the ball beyond Cornell into the top corner.

Wolves had the chance to extend their lead in first half stoppage time when Hwang was brought down by Olosunde as he looked to get onto a ball played over the top of the defence. The Korean picked himself up to take the spot kick but didn't connect well with his strike with Cornell down to make a smart stop and hold onto it.

North End started the second half as positively as they finished it, scoring just three minutes in. Woodburn picked the ball up high up the pitch and ran across the face of the 18 yard box before pulling his effort left footed back across his body and into the bottom corner.

The visitors kept their momentum up as Daniel Johnson's low cross was turned at goal by Emil Riis but kept out by Sarkic.

The home side came back though as Rayan Ait-Nouri swung a corner into the area after 55 minutes and starting skipper Max Kilman headed at goal, Cornell again forced into a save.

Seven minutes later it was rinse and repeat as Ait-Nouri's corner was met by a Wolves defender, though this time Nathan Collins headed narrowly over.

Riis found a bit of room in the Wolves box 15 minutes from time but in picking his spot was closed down with plenty of the goal to aim at initially.

PNE had a chance to get themselves level on 82 minutes, Troy Parrott making a smart run having come off the bench to fire across goal where Brad Potts slid in to try and direct it goalwards with an open net to aim at, the right wing back only finding the side netting.

It proved to be the final chance for the Lilywhites to drag themselves level in the game, as the hosts saw out five minutes of stoppage time.

PNE Starting XI: Cornell, Storey, Bauer, Cunningham, Olosunde (Browne, 45'), Whiteman, McCann (Leigh, 86'), Woodburn (Potts, 79'), Johnson (Slater, 86'), Evans (Parrott, 79'), Riis.PNE subs not used: Woodman, Lindsay, Amaral, O'Neill.

Wolves Starting XI: Sarkic, Semedo (Jonny, 78'), Collins, Kilman, Ait-Nouri, Nunes, Moutinho, Dendoncker (Neves, 62'), Traore (Neto, 62'), Jimenez, Hwang (Guedes, 62').

Wolves subs not used: Smith, Podence, Toti, Cundle, Bueno.

Attendance: 21,946