Match ends, Sheffield Wednesday 1, Blackburn Rovers 0.
Sheff WedSheffield Wednesday1BlackburnBlackburn Rovers0
Sheffield Wednesday boosted their hopes of staying in the Championship with a narrow win over Blackburn Rovers.
A deflected shot from Josh Windass gave the hosts the lead before the break after Kadeem Harris had teed him up.
John Buckley had a great chance to level for the visitors but shot straight at Keiren Westwood and Julian Borner forced a save from Thomas Kaminski in the Rovers goal from Barry Bannan's corner.
The Owls would have been relegated on Tuesday if they had lost and Derby won at Preston but their victory, allied to the Rams' 3-0 reverse at Deepdale, moved them to within four points of safety with three games to play.
Wednesday visit Middlesbrough on Saturday before hosting Nottingham Forest and then ending the season with a home game against Wayne Rooney's side.
Derby have now lost their past four games and face in-form Birmingham City, who have climbed away from trouble, on Saturday.
The hosts just about deserved the vital three points but were perhaps fortunate that Buckley could not make better connection with his shot after being set up by Adam Armstrong.
Blackburn's season is coming to a disappointing end, with defeat at Hillsborough meaning they have won just two of their past 17 matches.
Sheffield Wednesday assistant manager Jamie Smith told BBC Radio Sheffield:
"I thought they were really disciplined throughout the game and scored a good goal against a very good Blackburn team.
"Although they did have a lot of possession in the second half, I thought we were disciplined without the ball.
"It just gives us belief. That's all we keep talking about - belief and being positive. We've got three games to go and we will be doing all we can to win those three games and see where we are."
Blackburn Rovers boss Tony Mowbray:
"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."
Line-ups
Sheff Wed
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 1Westwood
- 6HutchinsonBooked at 15mins
- 15Lees
- 13BörnerSubstituted forUrhoghideat 90+1'minutes
- 2Palmer
- 8Pelupessy
- 10BannanBooked at 80mins
- 11Reach
- 7K HarrisSubstituted forGreenat 75'minutes
- 18Windass
- 20RhodesSubstituted forPatersonat 75'minutes
Substitutes
- 5Paterson
- 14Penney
- 16Green
- 17Dele-Bashiru
- 19Urhoghide
- 26Shaw
- 28Wildsmith
- 29Hunt
- 34Brennan
Blackburn
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Kaminski
- 31Bennett
- 26Lenihan
- 22Harwood-Bellis
- 15Douglas
- 29EvansBooked at 40minsSubstituted forBuckleyat 68'minutes
- 19TrybullSubstituted forBreretonat 68'minutes
- 8RothwellBooked at 73minsSubstituted forDolanat 84'minutes
- 16ElliottSubstituted forDowningat 67'minutes
- 7Armstrong
- 9GallagherSubstituted forTravisat 67'minutes
Substitutes
- 4Johnson
- 6Downing
- 13Pears
- 17Bell
- 18Davenport
- 20Brereton
- 21Buckley
- 27Travis
- 39Dolan
- Referee:
- Paul Tierney
Match Stats
Home TeamSheff WedAway TeamBlackburn
- Possession
- Home42%
- Away58%
- Shots
- Home14
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away4
- Corners
- Home3
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home6
- Away6
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Sheffield Wednesday 1, Blackburn Rovers 0.
Post update
Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Osaze Urhoghide.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Adam Armstrong (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Ben Brereton.
Substitution
Substitution, Sheffield Wednesday. Osaze Urhoghide replaces Julian Börner because of an injury.
Post update
Attempt missed. Taylor Harwood-Bellis (Blackburn Rovers) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Elliott Bennett.
Post update
Ben Brereton (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Julian Börner (Sheffield Wednesday).
Post update
Attempt saved. Ben Brereton (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Stewart Downing.
Substitution
Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Tyrhys Dolan replaces Joe Rothwell.
Post update
Attempt saved. Julian Börner (Sheffield Wednesday) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Barry Bannan with a cross.
Post update
Corner, Sheffield Wednesday. Conceded by Darragh Lenihan.
Booking
Barry Bannan (Sheffield Wednesday) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Adam Armstrong (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Adam Reach (Sheffield Wednesday).
Post update
Attempt saved. John Buckley (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Adam Armstrong.
Substitution
Substitution, Sheffield Wednesday. Andre Green replaces Kadeem Harris.
Substitution
Substitution, Sheffield Wednesday. Callum Paterson replaces Jordan Rhodes.
Post update
Attempt missed. Josh Windass (Sheffield Wednesday) right footed shot from outside the box is too high from a direct free kick.
Booking
Joe Rothwell (Blackburn Rovers) is shown the yellow card.
Comments
Join the conversation
I don’t think we’ll do it but I won’t stop believing. UTO
But realistically it still looks more like Derby or Rotherham that will clinch that place to avoid relegation, rather than Wednesday.
But you never know what might happen and it’s worth fighting for.
Ya know what I mean !
Yeah going down.. They're going
Wednesday's going down. 😊
We have it all to do after an horrendous season.
The sooner its all over the better!!