GARY Harkins scored twice as Blackburn Rovers reserves came back from two goals down for the second successive league game to grab a point at Christie Park last night.

Reduced to 10 men following the sending off of Jemal Johnson, all looked lost for Glyn Hodges' young side as they trailed 2-0 to Wolves with barely 20 minutes of this contest remaining.

But Harkins then gave his side a glimmer of hope when he bravely stooped to head home a pinpoint centre from the lively Sergio Peter in the 68th minute.

And the Rovers skipper completed a remarkable comeback seven minutes later when he stepped up to curl an exquisite free kick past stunned Wolves keeper Paul Harrison.

It was a gritty fight-back from Rovers, who had overhauled a similar deficit at Newcastle the previous week to underline the spirit within the squad.

Earlier, Wolves had got off to a flyer, opening the scoring through Stepen Gleeson after just five minutes with a slick move that carved open the Blackburn defence.

Richard Lee then denied the Wolves midfielder with a breathtaking double save, but he was powerless to prevent Rovers from slipping further behind in the 39th minute.

Jordan Fitzpatrick unleashed a shot that fairly rocketed past Lee on its way into the far top corner from 30 yards out.

Rovers should have pulled one back shortly before the break when a cross-shot from Keith Treacy squirmed out of Harrison's grasp and appeared to cross the line only for the match officials to controversially rule otherwise.

Any hopes of a comeback appeared to be dashed when Johnson, who had previously been booked, received a straight red for dissent in the 58th minute.

But Harkins then pulled one back with a diving header, before curling home the equaliser in the 74th minute after Wolves defender Conor Rafferty had been red-carded for a professional foul on Peter.

Rovers might even have nicked an unlikely win at the death but Peter fired wide and Harrison reacted sharply to beat away a Keith Barker effort.

Rovers: Lee, Taylor, King, Stopforth, Barr, Thomson, Treacy, Harkins, Johnson, Byrom, Peter.

Subs: Hodge (for King, 63), Barker (for Treacy, 70)

Not used: Garner, Sakali, Drench.

Attendance: 202