Rovers´ return to form sinks Wolves

Blackburn Rovers returned to form after their humiliation at Manchester United by recording an emphatic 3-0 win over struggling Wolves on Saturday.

Sam Allardyce’s team had been thrashed 7-1 by United last weekend, but the club’s Indian owners will have been relieved to see there was no lingering hangover from that dismal result.

Inspired by Morten Gamst Pedersen, who set up two goals, Rovers romped home thanks to strikes from David Dunn, Brett Emerton and Ryan Nelsen.

Pedersen’s fine display helped to push Wolves to the bottom of the Premier League on goal difference below West Ham.

Mick McCarthy’s men had started superbly with Matt Jarvis bringing a first-minute save out of Paul Robinson and both Stephen Ward and Ronald Zubar rattling the woodwork.

Jarvis cut inside the flat-footed Michel Salgado and hit a rising shot which was parried well by Robinson, who found himself back in action with less than five minutes on the clock.

Robinson tipped Stephen Ward’s low drive against the post and after Rovers failed to clear Zubar scooped in an effort which hit both the crossbar and the post before rebounding to safety.

But he visitors failed to build on their early momentum and were made to pay in the 29th minute when Pedersen’s long corner was flicked back by Nelsen and met by Dunn in the six-yard box.

Dunn’s firm header was frantically booted clear by Kevin Doyle but referee Howard Webb had no hesitation in deeming the ball had crossed the line – a decision TV replays proved correct.

Rovers extended their lead in the 42nd minute when Jason Roberts raced onto a long ball by Salgado and flicked the ball cleverly into the path of Australian midfielder Emerton, who swept home a fine left foot shot.

It was a Pedersen free-kick which teed up Rovers’ third in the 55th minute as his left foot set-piece curled around the Wolves wall for New Zealand defender Nelsen to poke home.

George Elokobi came close to reducing the deficit for Wolves in the 71st minute when he was fed by Jarvis and fired a rising left foot shot which Robinson did well to parry.

Wolves came close again on 77 minutes when Stephen Hunt met a Jarvis cross with a powerful low drive which was kept out by a superb one-handed save by Robinson.