Sheffield United improved their play-off hopes with a workmanlike victory over Wolves at Bramall Lane.

The Blades deserved their win from a highly charged game in which seven players were booked, three inside the opening 15 minutes, and Wolves missed a second-half penalty.

Ludovic Pollet came closest to breaking the deadlock in the early exchanges from a corner, but Michael Brown cleared off the line after United keeper Simon Tracey had parried.

With 20 minutes gone, Laurent D'Jaffo pounced on a mistake by Lee Naylor before hitting a right-foot shot that looped over a stranded Michael Oakes.

In first half stoppage time, Peter Ndlovu skipped past two challenges before setting up Georges Santos who lashed his shot inches wide.

Wolves made a double substitution at half-time with Mohammed Camara and George Ndah replacing Naylor and Carl Robinson.

It seemed to work as the visitors made a lively start to the second period and Ndah sent a ball across the face of goal, but it was too far in front of Kevin Proudlock.

Paul Devlin was then obstructed by Camara on the right and Peschisolido flicked the resulting free-kick inches over the bar.

The game continued with the odd late challenge and Ndah went into the book as did Paul Butler on the hour.

Wolves then spurned a golden opportunity to get back into the game when Rob Kozluk was judged to have fouled Proudlock in the area, but Muscat blasted the spot-kick wide.

Keith Andrews nearly salvaged a point for Wolves in injury time, but his right-foot drive went inches wide.

Teams:

Sheff Utd: Tracey, Kozluk, Sandford (Ullathorne 49), Murphy, Curle, Devlin, Brown, Santos, Ndlovu, Peschisolido (Ford 74), D'Jaffo (Kelly 66).

Subs Not Used: Montgomery, Suffo.

Booked: Devlin, Peschisolido, D'Jaffo.

Goals: D'Jaffo 21.

Wolverhampton: Oakes, Muscat, Naylor (Ndah 46), Robinson (Camara 46), Pollet, Butler, Dinning, Andrews, Branch, Sinton, Proudlock.

Subs Not Used: Ketsbaia, Stowell, Lcott.

Booked: Muscat, Ndah, Butler.

Att: 20,282

Ref: S Mathieson (Stockport).