Blackburn Rovers produced a fantastic first half performance to demolish Wolves but a second half comeback meant Mick McCarthy’s men dramatically survived by a single point as Birmingham and Blackpooljoined West Ham United in dropping out of the Premier League.
Strikes from Jason Roberts, Brett Emerton and Junior Hoillet put the visitors in command and secured their place in the Premier League for next season. Wolves were demoralised by the first half blitz, but a Jamie O’Hara strike and a Stephen Hunt beauty got them back into the game and lifted them out of the bottom three at the last minute before a late Spurs goal against Birmingham confirmed their survival.
Wolves manager Mick McCarthy made just one change from the side who won at Sunderland, with Matt Jarvis coming back into the side in place of Adlene Guediora. Sam Vokes was handed a place on the bench in place of the injured Kevin Doyle.
Blackburn named an unchanged side from the one which earned a point against Manchester United, with Jason Roberts continuing to lead the line for Rovers. Mame Diouf was the only change to the matchday squad as he replaced Nikola Kallinic on the bench.
With so much at stake the game began tentatively with both sides wasting early possession and chances on goal. The first chance of the game fell to Jermaine Jones in the eighth minute as the visitors broke on the counter attack, the on-loan midfielder received a pass from Brett Emerton but his long-range shot was never going to test Wayne Hennessey.
Moments later the home side had their first sight of goal through Stephen Ward, the midfielder receiving a pass from Jamie O’Hara inside the Blackburn penalty area but his low left foot shot was pounced on by Paul Robinson.
The game was slowly starting to open up as both teams looked for that crucial opening goal and it was the visitors who again went close. Junior Hoillet wriggled passed Kevin Foley down the left wing and got himself into the penalty area but his low shot from a tight angle was easily saved by Hennessey.
Wolves’ best chance of the opening period of the game came in the 22nd minute from a Jamie O’Hara corner. The midfielder fired a curling ball to the back post where an unmarked George Elokobi was unable to hit the target.
Two minutes later Rovers punished Wolves with the opening goal although they did have a touch of fortune in doing so. Brett Emerton’s cross field pass found Hoilett inside the penalty area, he teased Elokobi before rolling the ball into the path of the on-running Michel Salgado. The Spaniard fired a low shot towards goal which didn’t seem to dangerous but it deflected off Roberts and into the net from five yards.
With five minutes of the half to go things got worse for the home side as Blackburn extended their lead with a sumptuous volley from Emerton. A long ball into the Wolves penalty area was headed clear by Jody Craddock but only as far as the Australian who lashed a first time volley past Hennessey from the edge of the penalty area.
Into the last minute of the half, another goal and it was the lively Hoilett who struck. A long ball from Paul Robinson was touched by Roberts to Hoilett, he skipped passed the lunges of Craddock and Elokobi before hammering it past Hennessey from 10 yards. The crushing third goal left the home fans despondent and Mick McCarthy with his head in his hands at some terrible defending.
With Wolves needing a miracle to get back into the game McCarthy introduced Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and the striker made an immediate impact as he looked to run at the Blackburn defence. However it was Stephen Hunt who had the hosts’ first chance of the half, the Irishman met a cross from Matt Jarvis but could only head wide of goal.
With a three goal lead Blackburn were happy to soak up pressure and hit the home side on the counter attack and in the 56th minute they nearly added a fourth. A low cross from Emerton on the right wing was missed by Foley, and the loose ball fell to Roberts but the striker was denied by an excellent save from Hennessey.
Wolves finally got the lift they needed in the 73rd minute as on-loan midfielder Jamie O’Haragrabbed them a crucial goal to improve their goal difference. A free kick was rolled across the penalty area for O’Hara and from 17 yards he stroked it past Robinson.
With three minutes to play Wolves got the goal they needed to ensure Premier League survival as Hunt curled a beautiful strike past Robinson. A long ball from Hennessey was flicked on by Fletcher to Hunt, he controlled the ball and curled it into the far corner to send Molineux wild, with both sets of fans celebrating another season of top flight football.
Strikes from Jason Roberts, Brett Emerton and Junior Hoillet put the visitors in command and secured their place in the Premier League for next season. Wolves were demoralised by the first half blitz, but a Jamie O’Hara strike and a Stephen Hunt beauty got them back into the game and lifted them out of the bottom three at the last minute before a late Spurs goal against Birmingham confirmed their survival.
Wolves manager Mick McCarthy made just one change from the side who won at Sunderland, with Matt Jarvis coming back into the side in place of Adlene Guediora. Sam Vokes was handed a place on the bench in place of the injured Kevin Doyle.
Blackburn named an unchanged side from the one which earned a point against Manchester United, with Jason Roberts continuing to lead the line for Rovers. Mame Diouf was the only change to the matchday squad as he replaced Nikola Kallinic on the bench.
With so much at stake the game began tentatively with both sides wasting early possession and chances on goal. The first chance of the game fell to Jermaine Jones in the eighth minute as the visitors broke on the counter attack, the on-loan midfielder received a pass from Brett Emerton but his long-range shot was never going to test Wayne Hennessey.
Moments later the home side had their first sight of goal through Stephen Ward, the midfielder receiving a pass from Jamie O’Hara inside the Blackburn penalty area but his low left foot shot was pounced on by Paul Robinson.
The game was slowly starting to open up as both teams looked for that crucial opening goal and it was the visitors who again went close. Junior Hoillet wriggled passed Kevin Foley down the left wing and got himself into the penalty area but his low shot from a tight angle was easily saved by Hennessey.
Wolves’ best chance of the opening period of the game came in the 22nd minute from a Jamie O’Hara corner. The midfielder fired a curling ball to the back post where an unmarked George Elokobi was unable to hit the target.
With five minutes of the half to go things got worse for the home side as Blackburn extended their lead with a sumptuous volley from Emerton. A long ball into the Wolves penalty area was headed clear by Jody Craddock but only as far as the Australian who lashed a first time volley past Hennessey from the edge of the penalty area.
Into the last minute of the half, another goal and it was the lively Hoilett who struck. A long ball from Paul Robinson was touched by Roberts to Hoilett, he skipped passed the lunges of Craddock and Elokobi before hammering it past Hennessey from 10 yards. The crushing third goal left the home fans despondent and Mick McCarthy with his head in his hands at some terrible defending.
With Wolves needing a miracle to get back into the game McCarthy introduced Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and the striker made an immediate impact as he looked to run at the Blackburn defence. However it was Stephen Hunt who had the hosts’ first chance of the half, the Irishman met a cross from Matt Jarvis but could only head wide of goal.
With a three goal lead Blackburn were happy to soak up pressure and hit the home side on the counter attack and in the 56th minute they nearly added a fourth. A low cross from Emerton on the right wing was missed by Foley, and the loose ball fell to Roberts but the striker was denied by an excellent save from Hennessey.
Wolves finally got the lift they needed in the 73rd minute as on-loan midfielder Jamie O’Haragrabbed them a crucial goal to improve their goal difference. A free kick was rolled across the penalty area for O’Hara and from 17 yards he stroked it past Robinson.
With three minutes to play Wolves got the goal they needed to ensure Premier League survival as Hunt curled a beautiful strike past Robinson. A long ball from Hennessey was flicked on by Fletcher to Hunt, he controlled the ball and curled it into the far corner to send Molineux wild, with both sets of fans celebrating another season of top flight football.
