Sammie Szmodics scores again but Blackburn slip closer to relegation zone

Sheffield Wednesday climbed out of the Championship relegation zone with a vital 3-1 win at Blackburn.

Roared on by a 7,321-strong away following, Danny Rohl's men responded with a deserved victory on an edgy afternoon against fellow strugglers Rovers.

Josh Windass' spectacular early lob was cancelled out in the ninth minute by Sammie Szmodics' well-taken finish - his 31st of the campaign.

Wednesday took control with two goals in six second-half minutes as Marvin Johnson slotted in to finish a lightning break, before Aynsley Pears endured a moment to forget when he somehow sliced a clearance into his own net.

The win moves the Owls a point and a place clear of the bottom three after making it four unbeaten.

Blackburn were brought back down to earth after the win at Leeds and, aside from a second-half chance for Szmodics, barely threatened. They are just three clear of trouble.

Wednesday's vociferous away support were rewarded with a sixth-minute opener as Pears was stranded after racing out of his box to head a ball clear but Rovers lost possession and when it fell to Windass, he brilliantly lifted the ball in off the crossbar from 35 yards.

The prolific Szmodics equalised within three minutes as he latched onto Callum Brittain's pass and though his first touch was heavy, he confidently lifted the ball over James Beadle from eight yards into the bottom left corner.

Both sides were disjointed and untidy in possession, but Wednesday should have scored in the 37th minute when Windass turned Anthony Musaba's low cross wide.

They went close again when Johnson set up Liam Palmer, who blazed over, while a simple long ball set Szmodics clear in first-half injury time but Bambo Diaby got back to thwart him.

Wednesday did regain