A day of remarkable drama at Molineux, when Wolverhampton Wanderers were staring relegation to the Championship in the face one minute and looking forward to another season in the Premier League the next, culminated in scenes of jubilation at the final whistle as home supporters spilled on to the pitch to celebrate their survival, after finishing one point clear of Birmingham City.
It proved to be a much more comfortable ride for Blackburn Rovers, who raced into a 3-0 half-time lead against a woefully subdued Wolves side. Jamie O'Hara pulled a goal back 17 minutes from time but when Birmingham equalised against Tottenham Hotspur, Wolves were set to go down on goal difference.
"We need only one goal," chanted the home fans, in the knowledge that a 3-2 defeat would be enough to keep them up. Stephen Hunt duly obliged, curling a superb left-footed shot past Paul Robinson. When news filtered through that Spurs had retaken the lead against Birmingham, Wolves knew they were safe.
It was no surprise that the Wolves players left the field at the interval to the sound of booing. Mick McCarthy could never have imagined that a side that has looked resurgent in recent weeks could perform so badly in front of their own supporters with so much at stake. Wolves looked flat, devoid of ideas and unable to cope with the tension of the occasion. Blackburn, in contrast, played with confidence and conviction and ruthlessly exposed Wolves' shortcomings.
That was evident from the moment that Roberts put the visitors in front in the 22nd minute. Brett Emerton picked out David Hoilet with a cross-field pass and the Blackburn forward laid the ball back for Michel Salgado to sweep a right-footed shot from the edge of the area that Jason Roberts diverted past Wayne Hennessey. It was a setback that might have been
expected to rouse Wolves but the pattern of the game barely changed, and seven minutes before the break Blackburn struck again. Paul Robinson punted a free-kick from just inside his own half that Jody Craddock came across to head clear. The central defender won the ball cleanly but Emerton was lurking on the right-hand side of the penalty area and, showing wonderful technique, struck a first-time volley that flashed past Hennessey and inside his near upright.
Blackburn were rampant and Hoilett should have made it 3-0 when he turned Craddock only to slip his left-footed shot inches wide of the far post. The reprieve proved to be ephemeral. Within seven minutes, Blackburn had confirmed their superiority with a third goal that left McCarthy holding his head in his hands. Once again Robinson had a hand in it, the Blackburn keeper drilling a goal-kick that the hapless Michael Mancienne stepped out of defence to win but completely misjudged. Hoilet took full advantage, dancing around Craddock and George Elokobi before thrashing home. Cue euphoria on the Blackburn bench.
Wolves looked crestfallen. McCarthy responded by replacing Mancienne with Sylvan Ebanks-Blake at the start of the second half but Blackburn soon came close to making it 4-0, when Hennessey denied Roberts.
Scorelines elsewhere were providing the only home cheers until a well-worked free-kick routine culminated in Jamie O'Hara sweeping Hunt's square pass beyond Robinson. Momentum was suddenly with Wolves and Hunt's glorious strike provided the crucial second goal they coveted.
It proved to be a much more comfortable ride for Blackburn Rovers, who raced into a 3-0 half-time lead against a woefully subdued Wolves side. Jamie O'Hara pulled a goal back 17 minutes from time but when Birmingham equalised against Tottenham Hotspur, Wolves were set to go down on goal difference.
"We need only one goal," chanted the home fans, in the knowledge that a 3-2 defeat would be enough to keep them up. Stephen Hunt duly obliged, curling a superb left-footed shot past Paul Robinson. When news filtered through that Spurs had retaken the lead against Birmingham, Wolves knew they were safe.
It was no surprise that the Wolves players left the field at the interval to the sound of booing. Mick McCarthy could never have imagined that a side that has looked resurgent in recent weeks could perform so badly in front of their own supporters with so much at stake. Wolves looked flat, devoid of ideas and unable to cope with the tension of the occasion. Blackburn, in contrast, played with confidence and conviction and ruthlessly exposed Wolves' shortcomings.
That was evident from the moment that Roberts put the visitors in front in the 22nd minute. Brett Emerton picked out David Hoilet with a cross-field pass and the Blackburn forward laid the ball back for Michel Salgado to sweep a right-footed shot from the edge of the area that Jason Roberts diverted past Wayne Hennessey. It was a setback that might have been
expected to rouse Wolves but the pattern of the game barely changed, and seven minutes before the break Blackburn struck again. Paul Robinson punted a free-kick from just inside his own half that Jody Craddock came across to head clear. The central defender won the ball cleanly but Emerton was lurking on the right-hand side of the penalty area and, showing wonderful technique, struck a first-time volley that flashed past Hennessey and inside his near upright.
Wolves looked crestfallen. McCarthy responded by replacing Mancienne with Sylvan Ebanks-Blake at the start of the second half but Blackburn soon came close to making it 4-0, when Hennessey denied Roberts.
Scorelines elsewhere were providing the only home cheers until a well-worked free-kick routine culminated in Jamie O'Hara sweeping Hunt's square pass beyond Robinson. Momentum was suddenly with Wolves and Hunt's glorious strike provided the crucial second goal they coveted.
