Monday 8 April 2013

nPower Championship: Blackburn Rovers

The one-club managerial merry-go-round that is Blackburn Rovers visit Hillsborough having won only one game in their previous 10 and accumulating a relegation form 6 points out of 30 available. The Owls meanwhile amassed 15 points in the same amount of games in their battle to beat the drop. Caretaker manager Gary Bowyer would be looking to £8m top scorer Jordan Rhodes to fire the struggling Rovers away from the bottom 3.














The home side look to press the visiting back line immediately as Jermaine Johnson runs straight at them and as he squares the ball into the box, Wigan Athletic loanee David Jones clears for an early corner. Stuart Holden's in swinging corner is put behind for another corner which Miguel Llera hits the near post with before the danger is cleared. Former Manchester United youth player Jones looks to single-handedly take the battle to Wednesday when first his in swinging corner isn't cleared properly and then his 12 yard shot is charged down by Reda Johnson. As the 5th minute approaches, the midfielder swings in another corner which Giles Coke sees away with relative ease. When influential midfielder David Dunn squares the ball into the area, Chris Kirkland reacts quickly to quell the danger. In the 6th minute Leroy Lita is judged to have fouled Scott Dann in a tussle for position and Grzegorz Sandomierski takes the free-kick from deep inside his own half. 3mins later and the Owls win their own free-kick under similar circumstances, Lee Williamson impeding J.Johnson. The travelling Rovers fans have an opportunity to celebrate on the 11th minute as Dunn is fouled in the box by Kirkland following a long ball upfield that Llera cut out before Dunn led the former England goalkeeper out of his comfort zone. Kirkland sees yellow before a calm Jordan Rhodes nonchalantly passes the ball into the bottom corner to give Blackburn the lead and secure the Scotland internationals 25th goal of the campaign. As the game turns scrappy R.Johnson and Cameron Stewart exchange fouls on each other before Sandomierski claims an 18th minute Holden corner. The third choice Rovers keeper is beaten a minute later though when J.Johnson beats 2 men on the edge of the box before lashing a shot into the far corner to level the scores. The Jamaican winger seems to be well up for this game and the familiar chant of "He's faster than Bolt!" echoes from the home stands. When Dunn sees his shot fly harmlessly over the bar, R.Johnson finds himself in an advanced position and shoots at goal from 12 yards only for the stand-in keeper to be equal to his effort. The resulting corner by Llera breaks down when Coke fouls Rhodes in a battle for position. A wasted Dunn corner follows that before Josh Morris scythes down J.Johnson - Llera's ball into the box is dealt with by Rhodes but the goalscorer is soon penalised for a foul on Hull City loanee Seyi Olofinjana. On the 31st minute Todd Kane runs from deep inside his own half and rifles a 25 yard shot which Kirkland does well to save, a great run by the Chelsea man. The 32nd minute sees Dunn yellow carded for fouling Lita and Wednesday work a move which sees Jeremy Hélan cross the ball only for Morris to pull down the jumping R.Johnson - penalty awarded! Morris picks up the yellow card then has to watch Lita place the penalty in the opposite direction of the keeper in front of the Kop, giving the Owls a 2-1 lead. Kirkland is called into action almost immediately after when a free-kick and yellow card is awarded against Anthony Gardner and Jones' cross is claimed. Yet again the home side are indebted to their keeper when he keeps out a 30 yard strike by Dunn on the 40th minute an further danger is averted when Jones' corner in the 41st minute is handled by Jason Lowe giving the Owls the free-kick which Kirkland takes. A missed direct free-kick by Dann and a long range shot wide by Stewart precedes a stab at goal by Lita which the keeper smothers just before the half time whistle is blown.

HT. A decent game between two of the leagues strugglers. J.Johnson is looking likely and his timely runs are causing no end of concern for the visitors. Dunn is looking pivotal for Rovers, his work in midfield is going unmatched and can turn the game with a single pass. After washing down a Crunchie with a cup of tea I'm set for the second half.

The away side get the half underway and barely minutes after the restart, Rhodes has a snapshot that bobbles wide of goal. A fierce 20 yard Dunn shot flies over the bar shortly after as Blackburn look to draw level. When the former England U21 midfielder lashes another long range effort straight at Kirkland, an air of frustration quickly follows. Rovers make their first change of the match when in the 55th minute Stewart is replaced by the former 'Coca-Cola Kid' and Blade, Colin Kazim-Richards. That is quickly followed by Wednesday swapping Kieran Lee for Stuart Holden. As the hour mark approaches, Williamson receives a yellow card for fouling Olofinjana. Blackburn's pressure grows and 2 free-kicks in quick succession bare no fruit before Joshua King comes on in replacement of Williamson in the 62nd minute. When Olofinjana is booked for fouling King just minutes later, Dunn delivers a curling free-kick onto the head of top-scorer Rhodes, only for the hit-man to back header over the crossbar. As the Owls rack up the free-kicks against them, the dangerous Rhodes breaks through on goal - only for Kirkland to rush out and smother the ball well. When Grant Hanley fouls Lita in the 68th minute, Steve Howard comes on to replace the Swansea loanee as Hanley is yellow carded. On the 70th minute King finds space out wide and his looping cross is met by the leap of Dann who out jumps Llera to nod the visitors level as Rovers looked to avoid a 5th successive away defeat. A frustrated R.Johnson soon sees yellow for fouling Kazim-Richards but its the defenders namesake who rises to the occasion minutes after. A neat short pass by Hélan into the path of J.Johnson sees the enigmatic winger burst past 3 men before hammering home a delightful second and the Owls third of the day. The fan favourite celebrates by sitting with the fans as his teammates rush over and referee Mr East deems this a book able offence, showing J.Johnson a yellow card. As Blackburn press for another equaliser, Wednesday concede needless free-kicks; Howard on Hanley, Llera on Rhodes and a save by Kirkland prevent the Rovers scoring again. When Kane's 81st minute cross is cut out by Coke, the Owls break with Hélan but his effort from inside the box goes harmlessly over the bar. Kane's bad few minutes continue as he is booked shortly after for fouling Howard - allowing the break in play for Chris Maguire to replace J.Johnson to a rapturous applause and chants from the home stands. It doesn't take long for Maguire to get up to speed, his 84th minute shot from just outside the area creeps just wide of Sandomierski's post. Shortly after and Hanley is on hand to block a Coke effort at goal before Sandomierski claims a Lee centre. Kane concedes 2 free-kicks with barely a minute between them, both on Hélan as the pacey winger looks to advance but in the 93rd minute, he is found in space just outside the box and his shot is fired over Kirkland's net. The game comes to end when Lee sees his effort saved by 23yr old Genk loanee Sandomierski.

FT. A huge 3 points for Wednesday and another damning defeat for Rovers sees the hosts climb the table and the visitors edge perilously close to the relegation trapdoor. The Johnson's both did the fans proud, Reda defensively (and occasionally offensively!) and of course Jermaine's ability to petrify the Blackburn back line. Kirkland also stepped up yet again in what is proving to be one of Dave Jones' best transfers for the Owls.

Attendance: 24,660
Man of the Match: Jermaine Johnson - who else?? What a game by him!!

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