An added time goal by man-of-the-match Josh Windass capped off a brilliant 3-1 victory for Sheffield Wednesday, as they secured just their second Championship victory this season at home to high-flying Blackburn.
Academy graduate Bailey Cadamarteri opened the scoring just four minutes in on his second professional start, but Rovers equalised from the head of the second tier’s top scorer, Sammie Szmodics, midway through the second half.
Blackburn looked to be getting on top before a rare Wednesday attack found Marvin Johnson in acres of space, which gave the wing-back the time to pick his spot and put the Owls ahead in front of the Kop, and then Windass capped off a fine win with a late counter attack.
Owls gaffer Danny Röhl made just one change to his team from Wednesday’s late show against Leicester, as Windass returned from suspension to slot into left wing while teenage striker Cadamarteri retained his spot up front. Meanwhile, the visitors made two switches, Harry Leonard and Scott Wharton stepping into the starting XI.
The home side were forced into a change just 60 seconds into the match, after Dominic Ifora was forced off with an injury to be replaced by Liam Palmer, but that didn’t disrupt Wednesday’s game plan in the slightest.
Just four minutes in, the Owls were 1-0 up. Windass broke into the Rovers box in front of the travelling fans and cut a precise ball back for Cadamarteri, who instinctively struck it first time into the net for his first professional goal.
Blackburn immediately threatened from the restart, with Callum Brittain sending a curling shot into the Kop. Cadamarteri was causing carnage upfront, winning the ball back high up the pitch a few minutes later, but his drilled cross was cut out before it could meet a waiting Windass.
Wednesday continued their early pressure, appearing as if they were the side in the top ten, with Windass having two efforts of his own denied; a low shot from the edge of the box was palmed away by the Blackburn keeper before Barry Bannan weaved into the penalty area with ease, cutting it back to Windass, whose shot was thwarted by a Rovers head.
Rovers then began to show why they had won six of their last eight league matches, dominating possession and pressing Wednesday high up the pitch. They struggled to get any meaningful efforts on target though – their two closest chances both came from Wednesday players narrowly escaping putting the ball in their own net.
Dawson also made two saves from Blackburn’s danger man Sammie Szmodics late in the closing moments of the first half but neither were particularly strenuous for the goalkeeper.
Cadamarteri almost repeated his early-scoring trick at the start of the second half, but this time his shot, following a Bannan cut-back, went straight at the goalkeeper.
After that brief chance for Wednesday, the half evolved into one-way traffic towards Dawson’s goal, as Blackburn dominated possession. Brittain played a good one-two with Moran but his effort was deflected into the away end, before Rovers bombarded the Wednesday box with several crosses, none of which managed to reach a luminous yellow head.
There seemed to be little urgency from anyone in blue and white to get their team up the pitch, as Wednesday adopted a deep defensive stance, content to defend their 1-0 lead from the edge of their own penalty box, but that plan shortly had to be abandoned.
James Hill cut to the byline, delivering a cross towards the back post where an unmarked Szmodics simply headed home at the back post for his 14th goal of the season and his seventh in his last five matches.
That goal convinced Röhl to look to his bench, bringing on Michael Ihekwe and Anthony Musaba. However, it was another substitute that swung the match back in Wednesday’s favour.
Johnson, who had been largely anonymous since he came on at halftime, picked up the ball 30 yards from goal and drove into the penalty area. No Blackburn player came close enough to challenge him, allowing the wing-back the time and space to drive his shot across Wahlstedt into the far bottom corner.
MARVIN!! pic.twitter.com/WwVC8A44a7
— Sheffield Wednesday (@swfc) December 2, 2023
This injected life into Wednesday, and they began to press Blackburn high up the pitch. On the sidelines, Rovers boss Jon Dahl Tomasson was growing increasingly agitated, venting his frustrations towards the referee and fourth official which earned him a red card.
With time running out, Blackburn committed men forward in search of an equaliser, a move which presented the perfect opportunity for Josh Windass. The ball was cleared to him on the halfway line with no defenders ahead, and the winger then carried it almost 60 yards before calmly slotting past Wahlstedt, confirming an impressive three points for the Owls.
Wednesday are still bottom of the Championship though, 10 points from safety, but a positive week at Hillsborough will give them confidence heading into a busy festive period.
Wednesday: Dawson, Iorfa (Palmer), Bernard, B. Diaby, Famewo (Ihiekwe), Paterson, Byers (Johnson), Bannan ©, Vaulks, Windass, Cadamarteri (Musaba)
Subs not used: Vasquez, James, Hendrick, Gassama, Fletcher
Goalscorers: Cadamarteri 5’, Johnson 78’, Windass 90+1’
Blackburn: Wahlstedt, Hill, Carter, S. Wharton, Pickering, Tronstad, A. Wharton, Moran, Szmodics ©, Brittain, Leonard (Telalovic)
Subs not used: Hilton, Gamble, Atcheson, Duru, Montgomery, Garrett, Bloxham, Markanday
Goalscorer: Szmodics 65’
Referee: David Webb
Attendance: 24,507
