Wolverhampton Wanderers outplayed West Bromwich Albion as Fer Lopez struck the only goal of the game to earn the hosts their first home Black Country derby victory in 15 years.

Without the injured Raul Jimenez, Cesar Peixoto's side made light of the striker's absence as they repeatedly tore holes in Albion's backline - and were denied a larger victory only by the sheer brilliance of Baggies goalkeeper Max O'Leary.

The irony was that it took an error to hand an at times rampant Wolves all three points.

Albion's usually reliable defender Nat Phillips underhit a backpass under pressure and Lopez nipped in to score his fourth Championship goal of the season.

It was pretty much all Wolves right from the first whistle. Rodrigo Gomes, Marshall Munetsi and Adam Armstrong went close before O'Leary produced possibly the save of the season to keep out Nasser Djiga's point-blank header, somehow tipping it on to the bar.

Albion did have one 25-yard free-kick from Isaac Price which tested Jose Sa in the Wolves goal.

But then Mateus Mane's left-foot shot was saved at the near post by O'Leary, who again had to be at his very best when he superbly stretched out his right arm to deny Munetsi from Mane's left-wing cross.

Lopez also fired just wide – but when he got his next good chances eight minutes after the break, it was a different story.

After all the fabulous free-flowing first-half football that had brought no reward, Wolves went in front thanks to a defensive howler.

Their attackers put such pressure on from closing down the Albion defence that, with one home player on his shoulder, Phillips failed to spot two more lurking and it was the second of them, Lopez, who read his attempted backpass to O'Leary and neatly chipped right-footed over the advancing keeper.

Wolves continued to press and deserved to win by more. But the three points that lifted them back above Albion to fourth on goal difference were satisfying enough to take into the three-week international break.

Given the unprecedented length of this coming international break, it will not be until Saturday, 10 October when Wolves and Albion play their next matches.

Fifth-placed Albion face another lunchtime kick-off in another Midlands derby, this time at home to 10th-placed Birmingham City (12:30 BST).

Wolves will be away to Middlesbrough (15:00 BST) in a meeting of third against fourth.

The length of this big gap in league fixtures comes on the back of this summer's World Cup having gone on until mid-July - and then there not being any international break in August. Some countries face four Nations League fixtures before normal service is resumed in club football in 20 days' time.

Wolves boss Cesar Peixoto told BBC Radio WM:

"I liked that a lot. The players worked so hard and did a great job. And we won it for the supporters. The environment in the stadium was amazing.

"We played with courage and character and pressed high - and we fought right to the end to make sure we got what we deserved.

"We created a lot of chances, but their goalkeeper made some great saves and we somehow don't score.

"It's an important three points. But it is only three points. Most importantly, these players showed they deserve the respect and support that the fans can give them."

West Bromwich Albion boss James Morrison told BBC Radio WM:

"We got what we deserved, really. We weren't at our best and we created a lot of anxiety in ourselves.

"In the first half we didn't threaten their goal and in the second half we didn't create enough. We just weren't brave enough to take the ball under pressure and have that belief to go and attack.

"That may be down to the younger players playing in a derby for the first time, or just making too many mistakes.

"We got to the break and had a chance to reset - and then we made a mistake when we're in control of the ball and that decided the game."