REPORT: Wednesday 3-3 Blackburn
After a spirited comeback from the hosts at Hillsborough, Wednesday emerged with a point from the clash with Blackburn in highly entertaining 3-3 draw.
Familiar foe Jordan Rhodes hit first for Rovers before Lewis Buxton levelled on the half hour.
Craig Conway restored Rovers’ lead and Michael Keane made it 3-1 before the break.
But back came Wednesday and Atdhe Nuhiu, who struck twice in the second period to rescue a point in the final minute. The big man then almost completed his hat trick in added time but was denied by a fine save from Paul Robinson.
Blackburn came into the game aiming to give their play-off hopes a boost and were off to the perfect start.
Ex-Owl Tommy Spurr mishit a shot from the edge of the area but dangerman Rhodes was alert to the chance, controlled inside the six yard box before rounding Chris Kirkland and tapping home.
In response, Michail Antonio created an opening for Nuhiu after some industrious work down the left, but Robinson made a good block from the striker’s fierce half volley.
Ex-England shot-stopper Robinson was called upon moments later and made a stunning one-handed stop from Antonio’s header.
From the resulting corner, though, Wednesday drew level. Chris Maguire delivered a teasing ball into the box and Buxton applied the finishing touch from close range at the back stick.
In the moments that followed, the Owls controlled possession and took the game to Rovers but in the blink of an eye, the visitors restored their advantage.
After a swift counter, Rhodes teed up Conway, who lined up a strike from distance and buried the ball in the bottom corner.
The game was full of chances at both ends, as Kieran Lee and Liam Palmer both saw strikes blocked out in Rovers territory.
But as the interval approached, Blackburn increased their lead to 3-1.
Jason Lowe’s centre presented Keane with a chance he couldn’t miss from a central position in front of goal and the defender planted a firm header into the Leppings Lane net.
After the resumption, Blackburn were knocking at the door for their fourth goal as Kirkland made crucial saves from Rhodes and Rudy Gestede in a hectic scramble.
Wednesday almost pulled a goal back as Antonio’s deep cross from the right struck the angle of the goal frame, but with 20 minutes remaining, the Owls hauled themselves back into contention.
Antonio fired his delivery across goal after a fine piece of wing play and as Robinson got a hand to the ball, Nuhiu swept home on the rebound to give the Owls a fighting chance.
And the comeback was completed in the final minute. With the Owls pressing for an equaliser, the ball fell to Nuhiu inside the area and the popular forward swivelled and blasted high into the roof of the net to cap a riveting S6 contest.
Owls: Kirkland, Buxton, Onyewu, Llera, Mattock (Helan 59), Antonio, Lee, Palmer (Lavery 59), Hutchinson (Afobe 79), Maguire, Nuhiu,
Blackburn: Robinson, Spurr, Kilgallon, Hanley, Lowe, Rhodes (Varney 90), Keane, Williamson, Conway, Gestede, Cairney