CARL Ikeme made three superb saves to prevent Rovers from winning a dreadful match.

The Wolves goalkeeper denied Jordi Gomez at the end of both halves and also thwarted Shane Duffy.

However neither team did enough to win a game that – atrocious weather aside – had an end-of-season feel about it.

But Rovers did all but secure their safety by recording their first draw in 14 matches.

The stalemate moved Paul Lambert’s side 10 points clear of third-from-bottom MK Dons going into the final five games of the Championship campaign.

Rovers boss Lambert made three changes to the team which had started the midweek defeat at Sheffield Wednesday.

Matt Kilgallon was brought in at left-back in place of Adam Henley and the suspension-free Duffy was thrust straight back into the starting line-up at the expense of Elliott Ward.

And with Craig Conway banned there was also a first start and appearance since August 28 for the fit-again Jason Lowe.

But the boost of having Lowe back was offset by the departure of on-loan Sunderland frontman Danny Graham after 16 minutes to a tight hamstring.

Lancashire Telegraph:

Fortunately the former Wolves loanee should be fit for next weekend’s home clash with Huddersfield Town.

Lambert, who has already lost Tony Watt for the rest of the season, turned to Chris Brown to lead the Rovers attack.

It was an attack that did not trouble Ikeme until the end of what was a flat first half at rain-soaked Molineux.

That said Rovers nearly went in front in the 24th minute when second-striker Elliott Bennett whipped over a corner that Wolves captain Danny Baath headed just over his own bar.

Five minutes later and the returning Duffy passed up a decent opportunity as he got his left-footed shot all wrong after the excellent Grant Hanley had nodded back Bennett’s deep free kick.

At the other end James Henry sent over a couple of inviting deliveries.

But Rovers remained untroubled throughout an opening period which was desperately short of quality until Gomez conjured some in added time.

The ball was worked into the much-improved midfielder who nudged it on to his left foot before pulling the trigger on a sweetly struck 20-yard effort that Ikeme did brilliantly to push on to the post.

The match showed no signs of improving immediately after the restart and both managers made changes with Lambert bringing on Simeon Jackson to play up front with Brown.

Lancashire Telegraph:

Jackson was straight into the action. None of his team-mates, however, were in the right place to get on the end of his inviting cross.

Even half-chances continued to be few and far between and ironic cheers broke out all around the ground when Wolves had their first shot on target in the 77th minute which Jason Steele comfortably gathered from substitute Bjorn Sigurdarson.

Sigurdarson then failed to gamble on another enticing Henry delivery before Gomez whipped over a vicious free kick which Ikeme beat away at his near post.

But the Nigeria international saved his best until last to stop Gomez’s flying header from Lowe’s cross from hitting the back of the net.

And Ikeme repeated the trick from Bennett’s resultant corner as he turned Duffy’s header over the bar.

That ensured Wolves, who were booed off at the end, made it three goalless home league games in a row for the first time since February 1899.

Little else about this match, however, was remarkable.

Wolves: Ikeme, Iorfa, Batth, Hause, Doherty, Henry, Coady, Price, Saville (Hunte 58), Mason (Enobakhare 58), Le Fondre (Sigurdarson 74). Subs not used: Martinez, Deslandes, Edwards, Helan.

Booked: Iorfa.

Rovers: Steele, Marshall, Hanley, Duffy, Kilgallon, Lenihan, Lowe, Grimes (Jackson 65), Gomez, Bennett, Graham (Brown 16). Subs not used: Raya, Henley, Brown, Williamson, Evans, Ward.

Booked: Lenihan, Grimes, Bennett.

Referee: Mark Brown.

Attendance: 19,538 (726 away).