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Blackburn Rovers coasted to their first win of the season with a 3-1 success against Wolves at Ewood Park.

A first-half opener from El-Hadji Diouf (pictured), who capitalised on hesitant defending from the visitors, to squeeze a finish past Wayne Hennessey, was added to by two goals in eight second-half minutes from Jason Roberts and David Dunn that made the final 25 minutes academic.

Roberts poached Rovers' second from his own team-mate Gael Givet whose header took a slight touch off the striker before finding the back of the net.

Roberts had a taste of his own medicine shortly afterwards when, after doing all the hard work to beat Hennessey, he was beaten to the punch by Dunn.

Mick McCarthy's team, a distinct second best to their Ewood Park hosts, scored a consolation goal two minutes from time through debutant Stefan Maierhofer.

Rovers began much the brighter of the two teams, with the midfield duo of Dunn and Vince Grella particularly influential for the home side.

Rovers' opening goal coming after 20 minutes when Karl Henry's poor pass back put Michael Mancienne under pressure.

The loan signing from Chelsea reacted too sluggishly to prevent Diouf running through on goal and the Senegalese's shot, not the most convincing, nevertheless found the bottom corner of the goal via a touch off the legs of goalkeeper Hennessey.

The visitors did have the ball in the net shortly but Kevin Doyle was adjudged offside.

Morten Gamst Pedersen struck a free-kick that forced a desperate touch from Hennessey to prevent Chris Samba doubling his side's lead and another, at the end of the half, that struck the outside of Hennessey's left-hand post.

Keith Andrews also came close to scoring against his former club twice in the space of three first-half minutes. First breaking through on goal, following a typically buccaneering run from Dunn on the half hour, he shot straight at Hennessey before the Republic of Ireland international then volleyed wide from the edge of the area.

The visitors were momentarily encouraged by a sloppy start to the second half by the home side, but, 10 minutes after the restart, a combination of Givet and Roberts doubled Rovers' lead. Givet headed Dunn's corner towards goal from six yards and Roberts, who was stood in front of Hennessey, diverted the ball in.

Dunn made sure of the home side's win eight minutes later. After Pedersen's through ball had released Roberts, the latter was held up temporarily by Hennessey but he still managed to nudge the ball goalwards only for Dunn to nip in and claim the honours.

The points were safe but Andrews continued his attempts to claim a goal against his former employers and he was particularly unlucky when a close-range shot was blocked after a neat passing move from the home side.

As Rovers revelled in the home fans' chants of Olé, Sam Allardyce had the luxury of handing a debut to former Real Madrid right back Michel Salgado for the final five minutes.

After Givet had blocked what appeared to be a certain goal for Andy Keogh, Wolves claimed a consolation. From the subsequent corner two minutes from time, substitute Maierhofer found himself in space to finish high past Robinson.

Chris Stanton / Eurosport