Blackburn Rovers vs Sheffield Wednesday. Sky Bet Championship.
Ewood ParkAttendance14,147.
Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash at Ewood Park
Saturday 2 November 2019 22:56, UK
John Buckley scored a stoppage-time winner as Blackburn came from behind to beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 in dramatic fashion at Ewood Park.
The hosts looked to be heading for a third consecutive defeat when Jacob Murphy headed in his second of the season in the 83rd minute.
But Tony Mowbray's team mounted an incredible fightback, with Tosin Adarabioyo's first goal for the club levelling matters in the 88th minute before Buckley sent Ewood Park into raptures, netting with a deflected effort in stoppage time.
There was still time for Christian Walton to pull of an outstanding save to end Blackburn's six-match winless streak.
It also means Wednesday's four-game unbeaten run is at an end.
Former Germany international Lewis Holtby returned as Blackburn made three changes from the side that lost at Deepdale; the Owls made two alterations, including Kieran Lee for the injured Barry Bannan.
Rovers' Sam Gallagher went close within the first 10 minutes when he rose highest to meet Stewart Downing's cross but Keiren Westwood's flying save denied him.
Wednesday had designs on the top two before play though and Kadeem Harris underlined their intent in the 17th minute, forcing Walton into a sharp near-post save.
The Owls went even closer on the half-hour when Dominic Iorfa's diving, goalbound header was hooked clear by Adarabioyo.
Rovers should have taken the lead early in the second half when Gallagher's inch-perfect cross found Adam Armstrong at the back post, who saw his effort blocked, before Lewis Travis' follow-up shot was sensationally repelled by Westwood at point-blank range.
Armstrong weaved onto his left foot and unleashed a 20-yard drive 19 minutes from time but Westwood made another telling contribution.
And the Owls stopper made an even better save moments later as he tipped Joe Rothwell's bullet header over the crossbar.
Walton was called into action at the other end, brilliantly tipping a low drive from Harris away as the game started to stretch.
The game could have gone either way but Wednesday looked to have made the telling breakthrough seven minutes from the end when Morgan Fox's cross was met at the front post by Fletcher whose shot came back off the crossbar and fell invitingly to Murphy, who nodded into the empty net from a yard out.
But Rovers were not to be denied and equalised two minutes from the end when Adarabioyo met Elliott Bennett's searching cross and his towering header looped over the despairing Westwood.
Astonishingly, Blackburn snatched an injury-time winner through Buckley, whose 18-yard drive took a huge deflection and wrong-footed Westwood.
Fernando Forestieri's deflected long-range effort struck a post deep into added time, before Walton produced a match-winning save to deny Sam Hutchinson at the death.
Blackburn's Tony Mowbray: "I hope his (Buckley's) parents were here. John Buckley is a young player we trust and believe in but it's very difficult to give young boys game time when the team is struggling to win football matches.
"John is going to be a big player for this club in the future, I hope. I think that's why we're in football. I think these are days to remember for supporters of the club.
Sheffield Wednesday's Garry Monk: "We knew coming here would be tough. We had the lead, the control but for the last five minutes we lost concentration and paid the ultimate price. We were exactly where we needed to be for the game we prepared for, but mistakes proved costly.
"We worked so hard but you can't make those mistakes at this level. It's hugely disappointing to give up those three points as we did. To not sit out those final few minutes, we'll learn from it and take it on the chin, making sure it doesn't happen again. They are experienced players in there, hugely disappointed."
