santiago bueno strike sees Wolves scrape past Grimsby in mud-soaked FA Cup tie
Wolves survived a test of endurance at a sodden Blundell Park as Santiago Bueno's second-half intervention proved decisive in a 1-0 FA Cup fourth-round victory over League Two side Grimsby Town. The win sends the visitors into the fifth-round draw on Monday, February 16, 2026 (ET), but does little to ease their Premier League woes.
Mud, misfired chances and one clinical touch
Persistent rainfall left one penalty area a quagmire before kick-off and the surface quickly deteriorated, with white pitch markings soon blending into the brown sludge. Both teams found it hard to build fluent attacks as passes skidded and players struggled to keep their footing.
Grimsby started with intent and carved the first opening, Charles Vernam forcing an early effort wide inside the opening minute. Wolves were slow to settle, with Tolu Arokodare firing their first significant attempt over in the 17th minute. Tempers flared when a foul on Adam Armstrong earned only a yellow card, and Joao Gomes then curled a free-kick onto the crossbar as Wolves came close to breaking the deadlock.
The decisive moment arrived on the hour when Joao Gomes delivered a cross that Santiago Bueno diverted past goalkeeper Jackson Smith with his thigh. It was the visitors' only shot on target, but it proved enough. Grimsby responded with urgency in the closing stages: Andy Cook had a header that tested Sam Johnstone in the 90th minute, and the hosts registered their first shot on target late on, but Wolves held firm. Bueno also produced a crucial block deep into stoppage time to keep extra time at bay.
Progress in the cup, problems in the league
The victory takes Wolves into the FA Cup fifth round for the third consecutive season, their best sequence since 1981. For a club enduring a season of mounting concern, the competition offers a rare bright spot. Manager Rob Edwards' side face Monday's draw for the next round on February 16, 2026 (ET), which will test whether the cup run can provide momentum heading into the run-in.
Yet the result does little to mask Wolves' precarious position in the top flight. The team have spent much of the campaign at the foot of the table and sit 18 points adrift of safety with a dozen league games remaining. Goals have been hard to come by in open play, and recent performances underline that while the cup can deliver respite, systemic issues persist.
Grimsby, meanwhile, can take pride in their display. The League Two side again made life difficult for higher-ranked opposition on their home turf, showing organisation and fight despite the adverse conditions. Their run deep into cup competitions this season has drawn attention to the squad's resilience and the ways a heavy, uneven surface can narrow the gulf between divisions.
For Wolves, the task is clear: they must convert cup momentum into improved league form if they are to avoid a demoralising finish to a challenging campaign. For Grimsby, the match will be remembered as another example of the magic of knockout football — and of how fine margins, even a single volleyed deflection, can decide a tie on a day when both teams battled the elements as much as one another.
