Sheffield Wednesday 0-5 Blackburn Rovers: Hosts see promotion chances severely dented
- Published
Sam Gallagher swept in the fifth and final Blackburn goal in their emphatic win at Hillsborough
Sheffield Wednesday saw their promotion chances severely dented as Blackburn inflicted an emphatic home defeat on Garry Monk's side.
Rovers were 3-0 up by half-time courtesy of a Lewis Holtby double and a Cameron Dawson own goal.
Massimo Luongo picked up a straight red card shortly after Holtby's first and by the interval, a number of Wednesday fans had seen enough and made for the exits.
Darragh Lenihan volleyed in a sumptuous fourth goal early in the second half for Rovers and Sam Gallagher made it five in stoppage time.
It was some way for Rovers to end a run of six games without a win in all competitions.
Wednesday, who remain sixth despite the defeat, have now lost four of their past five league games and their last three at home.
By the end, a large proportion of the 23,504 crowd had already left as the Owls had an afternoon to forget.
Rovers took the lead after a quiet opening at Hillsborough when Holtby tucked home a low finish from Adam Armstrong's cross and Wednesday's problems soon mounted when Luongo was sent off for a serious foul on Lewis Travis.
It was Travis who was the source of Blackburn's second when his shot was tipped on to the post, but then bounced back into the net off the back of goalkeeper Dawson.
The result was as good as confirmed in first-half stoppage time when Holtby netted his second and Blackburn's third with a near-post finish, Armstrong again the provider.
There was still time for more damage to be done after the break, first from Lenihan after a neat short corner between Joe Rothwell and Stewart Downing, and then with Gallagher two minutes into added time.
Sheffield Wednesday manager Garry Monk told BBC Radio Sheffield:
"It was a horrible day for us. The first ten minutes set the tone. We talk a lot about the first ten minutes of games. You have to give yourself a foothold.
"We didn't do that. We invited pressure. Then the red card comes and that changes the game.
"We're working so hard to give ourselves a platform to build on and then we're self-inflicting needless pressure. At this level, you get punished for it. Today we got punished as heavily as we could have."
Blackburn Rovers manager Tony Mowbray told BBC Radio Lancashire:
"Tosin (Adarabioyo) and Darragh (Lenihan) were really exceptionally good today at just doing the right thing.
"I'm pleased for Lewis Holtby. The conundrum for us is without (Bradley) Dack, who's going to score the goals to take us where we want to go?
"The answer was there for us today."