Wolves are now six points clear of Birmingham at the top

A goal in each half ensured Wolves moved six points clear at the top of the Championship with a comfortable victory against Barnsley.

Kevin Foley and Andy Keogh missed early chances before Bobby Hassell diverted the ball into his net after Barnsley goalkeeper Heinz Muller missed a cross.

Barnsley improved after the break, Jamie Cureton and Maceo Rigters missing the target with close-range headers.

But Foley made the game safe with a late strike from just inside the area.

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy:
"I said to the players when we saw those really wonderful performances a few weeks ago that it wouldn't be like that every week.

"We could have put the game to bed earlier than we did but they had some good chances and caused us problems.

"You just have to win, whether it's good, bad or indifferent, and we have had some breaks today.

Keogh and Ebanks-Blake celebrate Wolves' third against Derby

Sylvan Ebanks-Blake grabbed a brace as Wolves made light of top scorer Chris Iwelumo's absence to return to winning ways against midlands rivals Derby.

Iwelumo was a late omission because of a slight ankle injury, but Ebanks-Blake took just a minute to score from the spot after Darren Powell's handball.

The striker then hit a post before David Edwards's volley made it two.

And Ebanks-Blake wrapped up the scoring when he tapped into an empty net from Andy Keogh's squared pass.

"I think it is a terrible decision to be perfectly honest. Even their players were saying it wasn't a penalty. It is just the kind of start you don't need.

"If it has hit his (Darren Powell's) hand, then there is no intent. But we haven't had too many good refereeing decisions this season.

"All we can do is just keep going and hope it turns around for us."

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy:
"With us it always seems to be a response to something. To me there was no added significance.

"We went to QPR and didn't play particularly well for 50 minutes or so, but I don't think there was any drop in our confidence or belief in our ability to come bouncing back. We just played another game.

"If every time we win one or lose a match we go up or down, then it is a recipe for disaster. You have to keep an even keel."

Wolverhampton: Hennessey, Foley, Stearman, Mancienne, Hill, Kightly (Collins 70), Henry, Edwards, Ward (Jarvis 86), Ebanks-Blake (Vokes 74), Keogh.
Subs Not Used: Higgs, Jones.

Goals: Ebanks-Blake 2 pen, Edwards 40, Ebanks-Blake 58.

Derby: Bywater, Connolly, Albrechtsen, Powell (Tomkins 52), Stewart, Zadkovich, Addison, Kazmierczak (Commons 75), Villa, Varney, Hulse (Ellington 73).
Subs Not Used: Price, Teale.

Att: 21,326

Ref: Grant Hegley (Hertfordshire).

QPR's Dexter Blackstock challenges Wolves' Michael Mancienne

A stunning 20-yard strike from Martin Rowlands earned QPR victory over Championship leaders Wolves.

Mick McCarthy, manager of the month in November, saw his 27-goal strikeforce of Chris Iwelumo and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake blunted.

Wolves goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey made a number of crucial saves but could do nothing to stop Rowlands' dipping shot.

Sam Vokes was denied an equaliser by a Radek Cerny save and QPR's Samuel Di Carmine shaved a post in stoppage time.

QPR manager Paulo Sousa:
"It was a great performance but more importantly we needed three points. I'm proud of the players, they are working very hard and they have beaten the team at the top of the league.

"When you have time to work with the players the team becomes better, and you could see that in this game. But our next two games are away, where our performances have not been so good.

"But if my team create as many chances as they did today then we will start to score goals away."

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy:
"This has been a tough place to play for as long as I can remember, and they are fired up by the fact that we are top and they have a new manager.

"We are the top team in this division - I'm not saying we're the best, but we are top - and that inspires other teams to play against you and we have got to live with that.

"We are still top. We didn't play well for 50 minutes today but we did play well for 35 minutes and we just could not get a goal back."

QPR: Cerny, Ramage, Delaney, Stewart, Gorkss, Ephraim, Mahon, Rowlands, Blackstock (Cook 27), Helguson (Tommasi 77), Agyemang, Cook (Di Carmine 90).
Subs Not Used: Cole, Borrowdale.

Booked: Rowlands.

Goals: Rowlands 63.

Wolverhampton: Hennessey, Foley, Stearman, Mancienne, Ward, Kightly, Edwards, Henry, Jones (Jarvis 58), Iwelumo (Vokes 72), Ebanks-Blake (Keogh 78).
Subs Not Used: Higgs, Collins.

Booked: Mancienne.

Att: 13,416

Ref: Iain Williamson (Berkshire