POOR Rovers were booed off after a desperately disappointing display and defeat that means they remain six points adrift of the play-offs.

All that separated the teams was David Edwards’ clinically taken but badly defended 48th-minute strike.

But make no mistake, Wolves, whose fourth victory in five games means they are now five points above 10th-placed Rovers, were more convincing winners than the final scoreline suggests.

Well-drilled and a threat on the break, Kenny Jackett’s eighth-placed side resembled genuine top-six contenders.

But on this evidence Rovers look nothing more than a mid-table team.

There was no lack of effort on their part and, of the two goalkeepers, Carl Ikeme was the busier.

But there was a serious lack of tempo and quality and it was surprising that substitutes were not introduced earlier and that David Dunn was not called on at all.

Ahead of Rovers’ first Championship match of 2015 there was optimism after an impressive FA Cup win at Charlton Athletic.

With Grant Hanley, Alex Baptiste, Markus Olsson, Corry Evans and Josh King available, and Jason Steele, Rudy Gestede and Jordan Rhodes raring to go after being rested for the victory at the Valley, Gary Bowyer admitted it was the toughest team selection of his rein.

After much deliberation the Rovers boss made six changes with goalkeeper Steele, captain Hanley, fellow defenders Baptiste and Olsson, and top-scorers Gestede and Rhodes returning to his starting line-up.

Steele was swiftly into action, pushing the ball behind at his near post after a weak and poor pass from Lee Williamson dropped to Nouha Dicko.

Confident Wolves, who have now kept four straight clean sheets away from home, dominated the opening exchanges.

The last thing Rovers needed to do then was gift them more shooting opportunities.

But that is exactly what Tom Cairney did when he played a blind pass into the path of the Dicko whose effort was blocked behind by Hanley.

And, after the resulting corner was not cleared, the recalled Rovers skipper made a vital clearance at the back post to prevent Kortney Hause from heading in James Henry’s cross.

 Bowyer’s lacklustre side were not being given any time on the ball by their hard-working opponents.

But they slowly grew into the game and they went close to breaking the deadlock in the 25th minute with a well-worked move.

Baptiste played the ball down the flank to Rhodes and he sent over the kind of cross he craves to the edge of the box where Ben Marshall flashed a header just wide of the post.

Marshall, operating at the tip of a midfield diamond, then forced Ikeme into his first save of the contest from a harshly awarded free kick.

Wolves also had a chance before an attritional and forgettable first half was out when Rhodes headed off the line from Danny Baath.

But, with referee Mark Haywood signalling five more minutes after a series of stoppages for injuries, there was still time for Rhodes to nod wide a cross from Markus Olsson, who played on despite the fact his shoulder popped out, and then back in, to its socket.

With little between the teams the first goal was always going to be massive.

And it was Wolves who got it three minutes after the break after Dicko got away from his marker too easily and played in Edwards 25 yards from goal.

The Wales international then turned the flat-footed Hanley before sending a low and hard shot past the exposed Steele.

Rovers came within a whisker of equalising within three minutes when Richard Stearman headed an inswinging cross from Cairney against his own post.

But, with Bowyer choosing not to make any changes, it was not until the 64th minute that the hosts went close again, the subdued Gestede seeing a half-volley deflect narrowly over.

Instead it was Wolves, happy to soak up pressure and counter-attack, who created the better opportunities.

Within a five-minute spell Baath flicked a header over before Edwards and Rajiv van La Parra fluffed their lines with the goal at their mercy.

Firstly Edwards lost his footing after Dicko and Henry had combined to tee him up before van La Parra skewed horribly over after Dicko had curled against the bar.

With the Ewood Park faithful growing increasingly and understandably restless Bowyer finally shuffled his pack, bringing on Craig Conway, Chris Brown and then Josh King.

Conway had the chance to be the hero five minutes from time after nipping in ahead of Hause from Rhodes’ pass.

But from a difficult angle he could only to poke the ball straight at Ikeme.

With the rain beating down there was one final chance for another replacement.

But King’s side-footed strike was well gathered by Ikeme.