Match ends, Sheffield Wednesday 4, Blackburn Rovers 2.
Sheff WedSheffield Wednesday4BlackburnBlackburn Rovers2
Sheffield Wednesday continued their surge towards the play-offs as they saw off Blackburn Rovers at Hillsborough to extend their unbeaten run to 11 games.
Steven Fletcher gave the Owls an early lead, and second-half goals from Atdhe Nuhiu, Dominic Iorfa and Marco Matias maintained their impressive run since Steve Bruce took over last month.
Rovers pulled goals back through Craig Conway and Elliott Bennett, but their leaky defence cost them dearly again - they have conceded more away goals than any other Championship side.
The result left Bruce's side just two points short of the play-off places, while Blackburn slip a place to 17th in the table.
Wednesday were on top from the first whistle and went ahead in the 10th minute when Iorfa delivered a low cross for Fletcher to turn in from close range.
The home side should have stretched their advantage almost immediately as Adam Reach forced a save from David Raya, then saw another effort rebound for Michael Hector to head against the post.
Blackburn improved as the game went on and Bradley Dack and Danny Graham both went close before Nuhiu - who had only been on the field for two minutes - made it 2-0, heading in Barry Bannan's free-kick on the hour.
Rovers substitute Conway halved the deficit, collecting Joe Rothwell's pass and curling a shot into the far corner, but the Owls made the points safe with two more goals in quick succession.
Bannan set up both of them, delivering another free-kick that Iorfa scrambled home and then playing a ball through for Matias to make it 4-1.
Bennett netted a late consolation for Blackburn, picking up Dack's lay-off and finding space to beat Westwood.
Sheffield Wednesday boss Steve Bruce told BBC Sheffield:
"We took our chances at the right time. On our first real attack we scored and that calmed everybody down a bit - and just at the right times we've scored again. It should have been more comfortable than what it turned out to be.
"Blackburn are very decent up the top end of the pitch and they've been going along very nicely up until the last month or so. You can't underestimate any team and, make no mistake, Blackburn caused us a few problems.
"The bit of quality we've showed down the right from Dom (Iorfa) - maybe I'm playing him in the wrong position! He's made one goal and got another and I'm delighted he's settled in so well.
"There were one or two things that alarmed me later on - we went a bit deep too quickly and couldn't get to the ball quick enough and that was a concern."
Blackburn manager Tony Mowbray told BBC Lancashire:
"It's very easy for people to say it's been terrible, but I know for a fact it hasn't been terrible.
"The results have been terrible, of course, but the team hasn't. There's been practically no drop off, I would suggest.
"Missing (Darragh) Lenihan has caused us problems in an area where we need his power and his ability to go and deal with the first ball. Without him, we haven't had the ability to do that."
Line-ups
Sheff Wed
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Westwood
- 27Iorfa
- 15LeesBooked at 81mins
- 34Hector
- 2Palmer
- 20Reach
- 23HutchinsonSubstituted forPelupessyat 10'minutes
- 10Bannan
- 39AaronsBooked at 74mins
- 11WinnallBooked at 52minsSubstituted forMatiasat 55'minutes
- 9FletcherBooked at 40minsSubstituted forNuhiuat 58'minutes
Substitutes
- 6Fox
- 8Pelupessy
- 12Thorniley
- 17Nuhiu
- 19Matias
- 21Boyd
- 25Dawson
Blackburn
Formation 3-4-3
- 1Raya
- 2Nyambe
- 38Magloire
- 3Williams
- 4ReedSubstituted forConwayat 56'minutes
- 27Travis
- 29EvansSubstituted forBuckleyat 68'minutes
- 31Bennett
- 23Dack
- 10GrahamSubstituted forArmstrongat 68'minutes
- 8Rothwell
Substitutes
- 6Smallwood
- 7Armstrong
- 13Leutwiler
- 19Brereton
- 24Nuttall
- 32Conway
- 39Buckley
- Referee:
- James Linington
- Attendance:
- 24,608
Match Stats
Home TeamSheff WedAway TeamBlackburn
- Possession
- Home41%
- Away59%
- Shots
- Home10
- Away8
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away4
- Corners
- Home2
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home14
- Away11
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Sheffield Wednesday 4, Blackburn Rovers 2.
Post update
Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Barry Bannan.
Post update
Attempt missed. Elliott Bennett (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from the left side of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Derrick Williams.
Goal!
Goal! Sheffield Wednesday 4, Blackburn Rovers 2. Elliott Bennett (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Bradley Dack.
Goal!
Goal! Sheffield Wednesday 4, Blackburn Rovers 1. Marco Matias (Sheffield Wednesday) right footed shot from the right side of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Barry Bannan.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Bradley Dack (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Post update
Offside, Blackburn Rovers. Elliott Bennett tries a through ball, but Craig Conway is caught offside.
Booking
Tom Lees (Sheffield Wednesday) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Joe Rothwell (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Tom Lees (Sheffield Wednesday).
Goal!
Goal! Sheffield Wednesday 3, Blackburn Rovers 1. Dominic Iorfa (Sheffield Wednesday) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Atdhe Nuhiu following a set piece situation.
Post update
Foul by Craig Conway (Blackburn Rovers).
Post update
Rolando Aarons (Sheffield Wednesday) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Corner, Sheffield Wednesday. Conceded by Ryan Nyambe.
Post update
Elliott Bennett (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Adam Reach (Sheffield Wednesday).
Booking
Rolando Aarons (Sheffield Wednesday) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Craig Conway (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Rolando Aarons (Sheffield Wednesday).
