Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield Wednesday have enjoyed some fascinating duels in the past.
Blackburn Rovers welcome Sheffield Wednesday to Ewood Park tonight, with both sides in very contrasting predicaments. Rovers’ victory at Derby County last Saturday was encouraging, but it was only the club’s second league win of the season as they have struggled to escape the relegation zone under new boss Owen Coyle.
Sheffield Wednesday, by contrast, were last year’s beaten play-off finalists and despite a shaky start, look to have steadied their hand with three wins from their last four.
For some reason, both of these fallen giants have provided a plethora of entertaining duels in recent years, averaging 3.5 goals a game from their previous ten encounters.
Take a look at the most memorable clashes between Blackburn and Sheffield Wednesday.
28th November 2015 – Blackburn 2-2 Sheffield Wednesday
Lucas Joao bagged a late leveller to deprive Blackburn of all three points and maintain the Owls’ impressive start to the season. Blackburn, who trailed Wednesday by seven points prior to the game, took the lead after five minutes when Hope Akpan nodded home from Craig Conway’s cross. However, Carlos Carvalhal’s side hit back through Modou Sougou before Corry Evans restored the hosts advantage with a powerful strike before half-time.
Paul Lambert looked as though he was closing in a first home win as Rovers boss but he was to be denied when Joao headed past Rovers goalkeeper Jason Steele with six minutes on the clock.
12th April 2014 – Sheffield Wednesday 3-3 Blackburn
Sheffield Wednesday and Blackburn played out a thrilling six-goal contest on the anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster.
Jordan Rhodes had steered the visitors into an early lead before Lewis Buxton drew the game level, before goals from Craig Conway and Michael Keane looked to have sealed the points for the Lancashire club.
Atdhe Nuhiu pulled one back for the hosts with close to 15 minutes left however, before bagging his second of the day in the final moments to salvage a point for the hosts in what was an emotionally draining day for all concerned.
6th April 2013 – Sheffield Wednesday 3-2 Blackburn
Blackburn fell into the bottom three for the first time during the 12/13 season as they surrendered a lead at Hillsborough. Jordan Rhodes’ penalty had given Rovers the lead before Jermaine Johnson levelled affairs with a precise finish.
Wednesday were soon awarded a penalty of their own, which Leroy Lita converted with aplomb, before Scott Dann stooped to bag an equaliser from Grant Henley’s cross.
However, Rovers’ hearts were broken when Johnson steered in a spectacular 25-yard effort to leave the 94/95 Premier League champions staring down the barrel of back-to-back relegations.
22nd January 2002 – Blackburn 4-2 Sheffield Wednesday
What started out as an evening of tentativeness turned into a night of celebration at Ewood Park, as Blackburn stormed their way into the 2002 Worthington Cup final.
With a slender 2-1 advantage from the first leg, Graeme Souness’ side showed no signs of nerves as they thumped their First Division opponents, with goals from Matt Jansen, Damien Duff, Andy Cole and Craig Hignett setting them on their way to the Millenium Stadium.
Captain Garry Flitcroft’s red card for a dangerous tackle had allowed the Owls’ to stage a mini-comeback, through goals from Efan Ekoku Trond Egil Soltvedt, but Rovers were not to be denied.
25th August 1997 – Blackburn 7-2 Sheffield Wednesday
Blackburn mercilessly exercised the Owls in a ruthless demolition job, as they plundered seven goals in a thoroughly entertaining spectacle. Roy Hodgson’s side were top of the table after just three games when they faced the Owls, in direct contrast to the previous campaign when Ray Halford failed to win any of his first 11.
After a manic opening ten minutes, it was 3-1 to the hosts. Kevin Gallacher had bagged two, while a Graham Hyde own goal sandwiched Benito Carbone’s strike for the visitors. Jason Wilcox and Chris Sutton added further goals before the half-hour mark.
Carbone notched his second just after the break, but the floodgates remained open as Lars Bohinen added the home side’s sixth, before Sutton bagged his second of the day on 74 minutes.
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