Blackburn Rovers attacker Junior Hoilett netted in both halves in a comfortable 2-0 win over a lacklustre Wolves.
Further disappointment for Terry Connor's men
Blackburn Rovers attacker Junior Hoilett netted in both halves in a comfortable 2-0 win over a lacklustre Wolves.
The 21-year-old did well to adjust his body in the box for the first as he connected with a half volley from an unfortunate David Davis flick-on and smashed the ball into the corner.
Wolves offered very little in return as the visitors capitalised on their nervy and unconvincing display before Hoilett struck again after the interval.
The Canadian-born winger collected Yakubu's pass and, from 25 yards out, he shifted it on to his left foot and struck a beautiful effort past Wayne Hennessey's out-stretched left hand.
Substitute Nenad Milijas had the best chance for the hosts in the final few minutes but made a mess of his header by sending his unmarked effort well wide following superb work from Matt Jarvis down the left.
Terry Connor's men failed to trouble Paul Robinson until the final stages of the game but it was too little, too late as Steve Kean's outfit claimed the points which changed the dynamic of the bottom half of the table as Blackburn moved up into 16th.
Identical results
Both sides had identical results in the run-up to the encounter with 18th-placed Wolves and 17th-placed Blackburn stuck on 22 points following five wins, seven draws and 15 losses with just goal difference separating the two.
Wolves, who now sit uncomfortably in 19th, were playing on home soil for the first time since their humiliating 5-1 thrashing at the hands of derby rivals West Brom which proved to be Mick McCarthy's final bow in charge of the Midlands club.
With just one win in their last 14 league games, it is difficult to see how Connor can lift his men from the depths of despair as survival specialists Blackburn secured a major boost to their chances of remaining in the league.
Protestors stood outside of the ground waving banners ahead of kick-off, one which read: "Welcome to the comedy club".
However, on the field Connor seemed more upbeat as he made four changes to the side thumped 5-0 by Fulham with top scorer Steven Fletcher drafted in after overcoming illness, as well as Sebastien Bassong, David Edwards and Premier League debutant Davis starting in place of the injured Karl Henry.
Club skipper Roger Johnson was the notable absentee for the home side and had to be content with a spot on the bench after being disciplined for reporting to work in an unfit state earlier in the week.
Kean brought Jason Lowe back into the starting line-up following suspension and Marcus Olsson joined his twin brother Martin in place of Bradley Orr and Radosav Petrovic.
It was a bright start for Wolves with Kevin Doyle sending an early header off-target. Yakubu attempted to break the deadlock at the other end with a volley but saw his effort go way over the bar before testing Hennessey with another strike from a Mauro Formica cross.
Yakubu looked hungry to get himself on the scoresheet and was on the end of another of the Argentine's deliveries, but the Nigerian placed his header wide.
Under-fire hosts
Winger Jarvis was a threat all game for the under-fire hosts and put the ball the wrong side of the post from close range after struggling to get his bearings from a fizzed in Edwards cross.
Fletcher tried his luck from distance in the 27th minute but his effort failed to trouble Robinson in the Blackburn goal.
Yakubu slid in to try and convert Marcus Olsson's cross, but the wideman was flagged offside as the powerhouse forward planted his shot wide.
Rovers were finishing the half strongly and made the breakthrough two minutes before the break as Pedersen's throw was diverted by Davis' head into the path of Hoilett, who sent the ball bouncing past Hennessey.
Two minutes after the interval, Fletcher had a chance to equalise but miscued his volley from Jarvis' cross.
Blackburn continued to attack as Pedersen swung in a delivery that was too deep for Formica to fashion anything with and trouble Hennessey.
Wolves were guilty of losing possession throughout the tense encounter and another slip-up allowed Formica to send a shot down Hennessey's throat. Davis then did well to nick the ball off Yakubu's toes as the striker tried to turn in the box.
As the pressure mounted on the hosts, Rovers doubled their advantage with just over 20 minutes to spare when nobody pressured a hungry Hoilett who took on the invitation of having a strike on goal which happened to nestle nicely into the corner.
Wolves needed to respond quickly and, after surviving a scramble in their box from a corner, they applied some pressure but the impressive Davis scooped his first-time shot wide from a decent position.
Robinson was finally tested as he kept out a shot from Jamie O'Hara and Fletcher before substitute Milijas - on for Davis - missed the target with a glorious headed opportunity.
After Robinson saved a further Fletcher effort, the boos began to ring around Molineux as the final whistle condemned Wolves to yet another Premier League defeat and an uphill battle if they are to survive this season.
