santiago bueno strike sends Wolves past Grimsby in mud-soaked FA Cup tie
Wolves scraped into the FA Cup fifth round after a solitary Santiago Bueno finish separated the sides in a rain-drenched contest at Blundell Park on Sunday, February 15, 2026 (ET). The win, secured in testing underfoot conditions, kept the Premier League side alive in the competition even as their league form continues to unravel.
Mud, rain and a rare moment of quality
Persistent rainfall left large areas of the Blundell Park pitch quagmire-like and made coherent passing and movement difficult for both teams. The sodden surface blurred the field markings and turned one penalty area into a particularly treacherous bog before kick-off, forcing chances to come from scrambling moments rather than fluent build-up play.
Grimsby started brightly and had an early sight of goal inside the opening minute, Charles Vernam drilling narrowly wide as the home side sought to unsettle their top-flight visitors. Wolves' first meaningful chance came in the 17th minute when Tolu Arokodare fired over, but overall the tie was defined by long clearances, disrupted patterns and errors born of the conditions rather than tactical cleverness.
Tempers flared at one point when a strong challenge on Adam Armstrong drew only a yellow card, and Joao Gomes rattled the crossbar from the resulting free-kick, the nearest either side came to breaking the deadlock in a stop-start first half.
Bueno’s decisive touch and Wolves’ cup lifeline
With the contest still in the balance, Santiago Bueno produced the match’s decisive intervention just after the hour. Joao Gomes swung in a second-half cross which Bueno diverted past goalkeeper Jackson Smith with his thigh — ultimately Wolves’ only shot on target of the afternoon. The quality of the finish contrasted sharply with the general chaos on show and proved enough for Rob Edwards’ side to progress.
The goal preserved Wolves’ run in the Cup: they will be included in Monday’s fifth-round draw on February 16, 2026 (ET), a small consolation as their league campaign spirals. The club remain mired near the foot of the Premier League, their top-flight status under severe threat with survival looking increasingly unlikely. Still, the FA Cup offers a rare positive thread for players and supporters amid a difficult season.
Grimsby’s late push and what it means for both clubs
Grimsby responded to falling behind with urgency and nearly forced extra time in stoppage moments. Andy Cook nodded a late header that Wolves’ goalkeeper Sam Johnstone kept out, and Bueno himself produced a timely block to deny the hosts a last-gasp leveller. The League Two side had only their first shot on target in the 90th minute, but their spirited finish underlined why cup ties between divisions remain unpredictable.
The result will be greeted with contrasting emotions. For Wolves, progression buys respite and the chance to chase cup momentum as a way to salvage pride from an otherwise bleak campaign. For Grimsby, another heroic showing against higher-level opposition — building on big wins earlier in the season — will feel like what cup football is all about: near-misses that, while painful, enhance the club's reputation and galvanise the fan base.
On a night when the conditions were the overriding story, one good touch was the difference. Wolves advance by the narrowest of margins and head into the fifth round; Grimsby can hold their heads high after making the Premier League side work for every inch on a testing afternoon at Blundell Park.
