Wednesday beat Blackburn to escape Championship relegation zone

Sheffield Wednesday climbed out of the Championship relegation zone as an embarrassing blunder by Aynsley Pears sealed a 3-1 win at their relegation rivals Blackburn Rovers on Sunday.

A BIG AWAY WIN 🦉#BLASHW pic.twitter.com/xld2mPPzRX

— Sheffield Wednesday (@swfc) April 21, 2024

Josh Windass' spectacular early lob was cancelled out in the ninth minute by Blackburn striker Sammie Szmodics' 31st goal this season.

But Danny Rohl's Wednesday took control with two goals in six second-half minutes.

Marvin Johnson finished off a flowing counter before Blackburn keeper Pears sliced an attempted clearance into his own net for a farcical own goal.

Wednesday are now one point above the relegation zone with just two games left in their fight to avoid an immediate return to League One.

Blackburn are just three points clear of third-bottom Birmingham.

Wednesday's vociferous away support were rewarded with a sixth-minute opener as Pears was stranded after racing out of his box to head a ball clear.

Rovers lost possession and when it fell to Windass, he brilliantly lifted the ball in off the crossbar from 35 yards.

Szmodics equalised within three minutes as he latched onto Callum Brittain's pass and though his first touch was heavy, he confidently lifted the ball over James Beadle from eight yards.

Wednesday regained the lead in the 58th minute as Anthony Musaba's inch-perfect cross was converted by Johnson from six yards.

The Owls were gifted their third goal six minutes later when Pears, under no pressure at all, screwed his clearance from Dominic Hyam's back-pass into his own net.