Sheffield Wednesday vs Blackburn Rovers. Sky Bet Championship.
Hillsborough.
Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Sheffield Wednesday and Blackburn Rovers at Hillsborough as a first-half goal from Josh Windass kept the Owls' survival dream alive on Tuesday night
Tuesday 20 April 2021 22:27, UK
Josh Windass' first-half goal gave Sheffield Wednesday a vital 1-0 victory over Blackburn to keep their survival hopes alive.
With fellow strugglers Derby losing at Preston, it was a good night for Wednesday in their battle to beat the drop.
Former Blackburn striker Jordan Rhodes returned to Wednesday's starting line-up, replacing Callum Paterson, while Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray made five changes to his side.
The first effort on goal came from Blackburn's Tom Trybull, whose long-range shot forced Keiren Westwood to get down low to save.
Wednesday's Kadeem Harris then fired in a shot from just outside the area which was straight at Thomas Kaminski.
Following a good counter-attack from the visitors, Adam Armstrong pulled the ball back to Sam Gallagher, who scuffed his shot wide.
A Harris cross picked out Windass, but his volley went well over.
Blackburn threatened again when a cross from Barry Douglas picked out Joe Rothwell whose header was saved by Westwood.
Windass put the hosts ahead eight minutes before the break with a deflected shot after being set up by Harris.
Wednesday posed further problems for the opposition defence in the closing stages of the half, firstly when Barry Bannan's free-kick found Tom Lees, who volleyed over.
Then Adam Reach saw his firm drive saved by Kaminski with Windass' follow-up blocked by Darragh Lenihan.
Wednesday carried on from where they left off at the start of the second half with Liam Palmer putting a shot wide and Bannan's free-kick picking out Julian Borner, who put his close-range header off-target.
When Corry Evans threatened to find a way through for the visitors, Lees timed his challenge inside the area to perfection to dispossess him.
Mowbray made a quadruple substitution midway through the second half, sending on Stuart Downing, Lewis Travis, Ben Brereton and John Buckley.
As Wednesday went in search of a second goal, Palmer fired in a shot on goal which was saved by Kaminski.
Buckley failed to capitalise on a great chance to equalise, shooting straight at Westwood after Armstrong squared the ball to him inside the area.
A volley from Borner, following a Bannan corner, forced a good save from Kaminski.
With the Wednesday players looking to run the clock down, Armstrong tried a stoppage-time shot which was deflected wide.
If Wednesday can build on this result, their survival fight could yet go down to the wire with a trip to Derby on the final day of the season looming.
Sheffield Wednesday's assistant manager Jamie Smith: "I thought they were really disciplined throughout the game and scored a good goal against a very good Blackburn team. We know they've got good quality in the team so I'm really pleased with the performance. We keep saying to the boys to be positive and to keep showing their qualities. We told the players to stay on the front foot at half-time.
"They had a lot of possession in the second half but we were disciplined without the ball. The win gives us belief. We have got three games to go and we will do all we can to win the three games. Everyone played their part today. We have got to win the next three games. If we get the nine points, we'll then see where we are. We can't worry about what other people are doing."
Blackburn's Tony Mowbray: "I thought we looked a bit jaded for a start. We looked a yard off it, for whatever reason. We seem to give the opposition a goal when we're comfortable in the game and it gives them something to hang on to, which is what they managed to do. We fell a bit short. I think that has been the story for a lot of games. That final bit, that end product. It's not always the finish, of course, it might be the ball in.
"It's about trying to improve the individuals as we go along so that when we get opportunities, they pick the right pass and turn opportunities into goals. We need to keep working hard in training. That's all you can do. It's going to be a summer of pretty big change, I think. There are a lot of loan players and players out of contract so we'll see how good recruitment is because that's important."
