23/11/09 14:15 GMT
  £30 Free Bet Bet Now Premier League Latest Odds Fantasy Competitions Mobile
 
WOLVES REPORTS 2009-2010
Picture Keith Andrews and Karl Henry in aerial battle.

Blackburn 3 Wolves 1

By Mark Staniforth, PA Sport

Click here for full match stats

Jason Roberts helped banish the goalscoring gloom over Ewood Park as his stellar second-half performance finally helped bring Blackburn their first Barclays Premier League win of the season.

Roberts' slight touch on Gael Givet's header was enough to steer Rovers' second past Wayne Hennessey, and he did all the hard work to tee up his side's third for David Dunn.

El-Hadji Diouf had celebrated his return to the starting line-up by giving his side a 19th-minute head-start when he raced clear and slotted the opener through Hennessey's legs.

It was the emphatic response required by Rovers to concern over their bite in front of goal after their first three league games yielded the sorry statistic of just a single strike.

And it could have been more against a Wolves side who caved in after a bright start to the second half, with Morten Gamst Pedersen ramming the post and Keith Andrews forcing a fine save out of Hennessey.

But for all Rovers' application the visitors were left to wonder what might have been after Christophe Berra missed the simplest of chances in the fifth minute after Paul Robinson spilled a Greg Halford cross.

The Wolves defender was presented with an open goal but fluffed his shot on the turn and saw his effort fly high and wide of the relieved Robinson's goal.

That was to prove the best chance of a trying afternoon for the visitors as the home side gradually took a grip on proceedings thanks to Dunn's relentless prompting and the energy of Roberts and Diouf up front.

Diouf repaid Sam Allardyce's faith when he took advantage of a blunder by Michael Mancienne whose mis-timed challenge gave the Senegal man a clear run on goal.

Diouf managed to hold his nerve but only just as he hit a low shot which squirmed through the unfortunate Hennessey's legs and bobbled into the net to put the home side in front.

The goal visibly restored Rovers' confidence and they almost grabbed a second in the 31st minute when Dunn ran at the defenders and laid the ball off to Andrews whose shot was well blocked by Hennessey.

Wolves were consistently guilty of giving the ball away too early round their box and Pedersen almost made them pay in the 44th minute when he curled a left-foot free-kick which struck the outside of Hennessey's left-hand post.

Things briefly looked brighter for the visitors at the start of the second period as Mick McCarthy's substitutions took effect and Stefan Maierhofer drove wide then almost got on the end of a lofted cross from Kevin Doyle.

But Rovers effectively sealed the points in the 57th minute when Givet met Dunn's corner with a powerful header which might have been heading for Hennessey's hands had Roberts not got the slightest of touches as it passed.

It was Roberts' turn to feel robbed of a goal eight minutes later when he barged past the advancing Hennessey before stumbling and leaving Dunn to slot home Rovers' third from point-blank range.

As Rovers began to revel in the late summer sun Andrews forced a superb save out of Hennessey from a set-piece and crashed another effort against Berra in the box.

Wolves did bag a consolation two minutes from time when Maierhofer controlled a corner from Jarvis and poked home from the edge of the six-yard box.

But the way his side caved in after Rovers' second will be of concern to Wolves boss McCarthy as he looks to maintain confidence after a reasonable start to the season. Rovers, meanwhile, are up and running.

Teams:

Blackburn Robinson, Jacobsen (Salgado 85), Samba (Nelsen 75),Givet, Chimbonda, Andrews, Grella, Diouf, Dunn,Pedersen (Emerton 73), Roberts.

Subs Not Used: Brown, Kalinic, Di Santo, Hoilett.

Booked: Andrews.

Goals: Diouf 19, Roberts 56, Dunn 64.

Wolverhampton Hennessey, Stearman, Berra, Mancienne, Hill,Halford (Edwards 46), Henry, Milijas (Maierhofer 46), Jarvis,Doyle (Surman 78), Keogh.

Subs Not Used: Hahnemann, Elokobi, David Jones, Vokes.

Booked: Stearman, Berra.

Goals: Maierhofer 88.

Att: 24,845

Ref: Steve Bennett (Kent).

E-mail this article E-mail Article Print this article Print-Friendly Subscribe to sportinglife RSS feed Subscribe to RSS Feed
Digg this story post this story to del.icio.us - social bookmarking site Post to del.icio.us Facebook

  Latest Football Stories
 IPSWICH RUBBISH ROY KEANE EXIT TALK
 COYLE SEEKS NUGENT STAY
 CURRIE SPICES UP DAGGERS SQUAD
 GIBBS RETURNS FOR GUNNERS
 STRACHAN TARGETS JANUARY DEALS

----------------------------------------------------------------
Part of 365 Media Group

Sports News & Entertainment
Sporting Life | TEAMtalk | Sportal | Football365 | Cricket365
Golf365 | Fixtures365 | Extreme365 | Planet F1 | Planet Rugby | Sky Sports | Football365 ZA

Betting & Gaming
Betting Zone | WSOP |Sky Bet | Poker | Online Casino | Online Bingo | Oddschecker | Casino Checker | Poker Checker | Bingo Checker | Free Bets

Mobile, Fun & Games
Free Online Games | 24-7 Football | Fantasy Football | Fantasy F1
----------------------------------------------------------------

© 2009 365 Media Group Ltd, All Rights Reserved.
Email Your Comments - Advertise With Us - About/Contact Us
Terms & Conditions - Privacy Policy - RSS


Football Live
Latest Scores
Vidiprinter
Teams
Match Reports
Reaction
Live Tables