BLACKBURN Rovers’ hopes of beating the drop were dealt another blow in what was a desperately poor 0-0 draw with Wolves at Molineux.

A 15th draw of the season, and seventh under head coach Tony Mowbray, leaves Rovers with an even bigger mountain to climb in their final two games.

They are now two points from safety, ahead of Birmingham’s game in hand against Aston Villa tomorrow.

In truth they never looked like moving level on points with the Blues, managing just five attempts, only two of which were on target, in what was a game that always looked set for 0-0.

A first half could be summed by the fact there were boos from the home fans when the tannoy announced there would be two minutes additional time, such was the lack of goal-mouth action.

Neither side registered a shot on target, and there was very much an end of season feel to it as far as the hosts were concerned.

The first chance came in the eighth minute as Craig Conway fired a snap-shot just wide as Sam Gallagher had failed to connect with a volley as Wolves failed to deal with a Jason Lowe cross.

With Charlie Mulgrew and Darragh Lenihan both back in the side, and Elliott Ward partnering them in a back three, Rovers were always likely to carry a threat from set plays.

And it was a Conway set piece they would go close in the 16th minute as Lenihan flashed a header just wide of the post.

Wolves waited 27 minutes to have their first attempt on goal, though Romain Saiss could only head a Ben Marshall free-kick well over the bar, while the midfielder also dragged an effort well wide late in the half.

Neither side registered a shot on target in the first half, and Rovers had to wait until the seventh minute of the second half to win a corner.

Mulgrew whipped that in, and after Wolves cleared it from underneath Andy Lonergan’s crossbar, Lenihan was booked for simulation as he went down after the ball was cleared as far as him.

The wait for a shot in the second half ended 17 minutes after the re-start, but Saiss could only find the 15th row behind the goal as he tried his luck from distance.

Rovers sent on Danny Graham for Conway as they looked for more attacking impetus and the wait for an attempt on target ended in the 67th minute.  Elliott Bennett saw a free-kick palmed away by Lonergan, who then gathered Derrick Willims’ 25-yarder with ease.
The game was starting open up at last, with Lenihan making a goal-saving tackle to deny Moragn Gibbs-White inside his six yard box just as the youngster looked set to turn in the ball from close range as Ivan Cavaleiro nodded across the six yard box.

There was more last ditch defending from Elliott Ward in the 80th minute as Rovers were caught short at the back, with referee David Coote waving away Bodavarson’s penalty appeals as he went down under a challenge from the big defender.

Wolves managed their first shot on target in added on time, as Raya gathered Cavaleiro’s effort, but Rovers’ push for a winner never really gathered pace.