Car-dinal sin

Skipper Lee Carsley has been deadlier than 007 since he assumed the role of chief penalty taker at the start of the season.

But there was something wrong with his sights yesterday as the Brummy midfielder suffered a rare malfunction from the spot to let 10-man Wolves off the hook at Ewood.

Just hours earlier, the Republic of Ireland international had talked about his success from the penalty spot in an interview with Rovervision.

But he soon became the villain of the piece when his 60th minute miss cost Rovers the opportunity of closing the gap on the leaders.

"I perhaps tried to be a bit too precise with it," said Carsley, who had converted all six of his previous efforts.

"I tried to stick it right in the corner whereas before I've just picked a spot and gone for it.

"But the law of averages says I'll miss one now and again.

"And it definitely won't put me off taking another one."

Yet despite Carsley's miss, Rovers only had themselves to blame for failing to finish off a Wolves side who were there for the taking.

Tony Parkes's men served up enough chances in the first half alone to have won three games - never mind one.

Yet it was the visitors who struck first through Lee Naylor before Egil Ostenstad hauled his side back into it with a typically instinctive strike.

Then, once Wolves were reduced to 10-men after Kevin Muscat deliberately handled Matt Jansen's shot on the line, they failed to go for the jugular.

Despite all their huffing and puffing late on, they couldn't find the killer blow to finish off the Midlanders.

Keeper Michael Oakes was forced into two brilliant late saves which denied David Dunn and Per Frandsen certain winners.

But, overall, Rovers failed to exploit their extra-man advantage.

The suspended Jason McAteer was certainly missed in the centre of the park because his drive tends to give the team an extra dimension going forward.

And with Matt Jansen still struggling to regain full match fitness, Ostenstad missed a genuine partner up front.

Parkes won't be too dissatisfied, however, as his side have now taken seven points out of nine over the Christmas period.

And with Stockport slipping up, Rovers are well in touch with the play-off zone as they enter their 125th year.

A bumper Bank Holiday crowd of 24,743 - Ewood's largest of the season - saw the home side start in positive fashion.

Jansen dragged an early effort wide of the post after a typically twisting run on the edge of the box.

And Damien Duff just failed to direct a header past Oakes after a fine cross from Damien Johnson.

In fact, Duff was at the hub of most of Rovers' best moves going forward despite the close attentions of two Wolves defenders.

He completely outfoxed Muscat with a brilliant piece of control before firing a rasping drive just wide of Oakes' far post.

Then on 18 minutes he came even closer, rattling the inside of the post with a fantastic curling free kick from the edge of the box.

Only a goal line clearance from former England winger Andy Sinton kept out an Ostenstad header from a dangerous Duff corner.

And the Irishman just missed the target again with a sweetly struck snapshot which whistled inches over.

But, as often happens when a team miss so many chances, the visitors seized a shock lead totally out of the blue on 35 minutes.

Lee Naylor sent Michael Branch away down the left who cleverly turned Darren Peacock before crossing for the in-rushing Naylor to slam home the return ball from close range.

That rocked the home side but they were back on terms within three minutes.

Duff conjured up a moment of magic on the left before whipping over a deep cross which Johnson drove back across the face of goal and Ostenstad pounced to stab home his seventh of the season from four yards.

Jansen then missed a sitter, firing wide from eight yards, after great work from Duff and Carsley.

But Rovers somehow survived twice in the space of 30 seconds 13 minutes after the break when Branch and Robinson both went desperately close with free headers.

However, the visitors were forced to mount a rearguard action in the final half hour following Muscat's 60th minute dismissal.

Frandsen's cross from the right found Jansen and his goalbound effort was handled by the defender on the line presenting Carsley with the chance to notch his 10th of the season from the spot.

But the former Derby man opted for precision rather than power and dragged his effort wide of the left-hand post.

Despite their numerical advantage, Rovers didn't seize the game by the scruff of the neck as Wolves got men behind the ball to protect their point.

It took two late saves from Oakes, however, to ensure the visitors didn't return empty handed.

First, he spectacularly tipped over a Frandsen free kick, destined for the top corner.

Then a minute later, he was out quickly to smother a close range effort from substitute David Dunn.

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