A penalty-kick after 64 minutes was enough to give Blackburn Rovers three precious points in their push towards promotion.

The Ewood Park side were celebrating 125 years in the game, and current team captain David Dunn made sure the anniversary went off in style.

The decisive penalty was awarded after Craig Hignett's overhead shot was needlessly handled by Carl Robinson.

Dunn needed no second invitation to give Rovers the advantage on a frustrating afternoon in which the visitors had more than played their part in an end-to-end tussle.

Wriggled clear

Rovers should have been ahead inside the opening minute when Matt Jansen wriggled clear of a challenge to hit a shot into the side netting.

On the stroke of half-time Blackburn's recent acquisition from Liverpool, Brad Friedel, made a superb save to keep out a header from Tony Dinning at the near post.

Wolves went even closer to taking the lead, when a powerful header from Paul Butler rattled the Rovers crossbar.

Blackburn regrouped in the second half without looking convincing but their nerves were settled thanks to Dunn and a rather fortuitous penalty award.

Wolves continued to cause problems for the home side, and striker George Ndah should have done better than head over when unmarked just six yards out.

Jansen came close for Blackburn again, making a superb run across the heart of Wolves' defence, only to hit a left-foot shot inches wide.

Wolves looked anything but a side struggling at the foot of the table though, and Blackburn were forced to endure a nail-biting finale on a day of great history for the Lancashire club.

Rovers paraded 30 of their former stars before the game including legends like Ronnie Clayton, Bryan Douglas and Simon Garner, and thankfully for them, Wolves were unable to spoil the party.

---

Blackburn: Friedel, Curtis, Bjornebye, Carsley, Short, Berg, Johnson, Hignett, M. Hughes, Dunn, Jansen. Subs: McAteer, Filan, Ostenstad, Dailly, Thomas.

Wolverhampton: Oakes, Muscat, Naylor, Emblen, Pollet, Robinson, Bazeley, Dinning, Butler, Ndah, Branch. Subs: Green, Lescott, Camara, Proudlock, Stowell.

Referee: G Frankland (Middlesbrough)