Wolves stepped up their promotion bid and plunged Forest back towards relegation danger in a sensational clash at Molineux.

Three players were sent off in the first half and Forest were incensed by the decision to allow Wolves' third goal, scored in highly controversial circumstances by Michael Branch.

The fireworks began in only the fourth minute when Ade Akinbiyi appeared to headbutt on-loan Forest defender Tony Vaughan after a pushing and shoving exchange between the two.

Referee Stephen Lodge waited for Vaughan to recover from several minutes of treatment before sending both players off - a decision Akinbiyi refused to accept.

He had to be ushered from the pitch by his skipper Keith Curle but only after hitting out at the former England international with his left arm as Wolves assistant manager John Ward also raced onto the pitch to act as peacemaker.

With 10 against 10, Wolves immediately went in front when Ludovic Pollet headed home from Darren Bazeley's right-wing free-kick.

And that eighth-minute breakthrough was followed by a stunning 20-yard left-foot curler from Bazeley 11 minutes later.

But Forest saw red again in the 25th minute when keeper Dave Beasant, who once had a loan spell at Wolves, tried to put the ball out of play so home full-back Lee Naylor could receive treatment.

Striker Branch followed the ball, however, kept it in and cut inside to beat the diving Beasant with a low shot under his body.

Beasant raced to confront Branch and the game threatened to go completely out of control as Forest players in particular lost their heads.

Midfielder David Prutton, substitute Kevin Dawson and full-back Alan Rogers were all booked for fouls then Prutton transgressed for the second time when he clumsily brought down Neil Emblen and was sent off in first-half injury-time.

Wolves, who had diplomatically withdrawn the under-fire and clearly upset Branch in the 40th minute, had things all their own way in the second half and should have scored more goals.

Emblen, substitute Scott Taylor and Kevin Muscat all missed great chances, with Beasant distinguishing himself with two fine saves.

It was Wolves' fourth successive home win and put an end to Forest's mini-revival of two victories in a row.

It was a black day all round for David Platt's side whose only bright moments came from Marlon Harewood, who produced four worthy efforts from outside the area while Rogers saw a 20-yard free-kick saved by the diving Michael Oakes.

Teams:

Wolverhampton: Oakes, Muscat (Corica 81), Pollet, Curle, Naylor, Bazeley, Emblen, Sedgley (Robinson 85), Sinton, Akinbiyi, Branch (Taylor 40).

Subs Not Used: Simpson, Petterson.

Sent Off: Akinbiyi (7).

Goals: Pollet 8, Bazeley 20, Branch 25.

Nottm Forest: Beasant, Louis-Jean (Gray 44), Scimeca, Vaughan, Rogers, Prutton, Bart-Williams, Johnson, Quashie (Dawson 22), Harewood (Merino 64), Lester.

Subs Not Used: Crossley, Freedman.

Sent Off: Vaughan (7), Prutton (45).

Booked: Prutton, Louis-Jean, Dawson, Rogers.

Att: 24,444

Ref: S Lodge (Barnsley).