Norwich pushed struggling Wolves closer to relegation as Grant Holt bagged a brace before being sent off in his side’s 2-1 win at Carrow Road on Saturday.

Matt Jarvis gave Wolves a first half lead but Canaries striker Holt equalised moments later and netted the winner with a penalty just before the break.

Holt saw red in the closing stages for a second booking but Wolves still slipped to their fourth successive defeat.

Terry Connor’s side remain bottom of the table and are now four points from safety after a run of one win in 16 league matches.

Wolves had been routed 5-0 by Manchester United in their last match and interim boss Connor made three changes, bringing in Roger Johnson, Eggert Jonsson and Michael Kightly.

The alterations initially seemed to have the desired effect as Wolves started brightly.

After Stephen Ward fired wide inside a minute, Norwich goalkeeper John Ruddy had to react well to stop Kevin Doyle heading home a Kightly free-kick.

Having recovered from their slow start, Norwich pressed for an opener that would have come in the 10th minute had Kightly not been on the goalline to clear away a Zak Whitbread header.

But Wolves snatched the lead in the 25th minute when Kightly darted down the right and sent over a cross that was touched away from the Norwich defenders by Doyle for Jarvis to fire home low into the bottom corner.

However, Wolves showed why they have the worst defensive record in the league when Jackson played through Holt to equalise just one minute later.

Buoyed by his 13th goal of the campaign, Holt had a fierce shot superbly blocked by Stephen Ward in first half stoppage-time and Wes Hoolahan’s follow-up was handled in the box by Jonsson.

The former Hearts midfielder was booked for the incident and referee Mark Clattenburg awarded a penalty, which Holt calmly slotted past Wayne Hennessey.

Sebastien Bassong’s last-ditch challenge prevented Holt heading in his hat-trick goal in the 60th minute, while Hennessey sprinted out of his box to deny Simeon Jackson.

Holt earned a second yellow card when he clattered into Kightly in the 85th minute but Paul Lambert’s side held on to secure their first win in five matches.