Makhtar Gueye sinks Sheffield Wednesday to earn Blackburn fifth win on trot

Makhtar Gueye stepped off the bench to fire Blackburn to a fifth straight victory with a 1-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.

Blackburn also kept a clean sheet for the fourth successive match as Danny Rohl’s Owls side tasted defeat for the first time since their derby-day loss to Sheffield United a month ago.

Both teams took turns to hit the crossbar in a first half which lacked real quality, firstly the visitors through Lewis Travis before Di’Shon Bernard saw a header rattle the upright at the other end.

Blackburn forced the issue in the second half and found their reward through Gueye with his first league goal of the season to push Rovers into fifth.

Rovers captain Travis returned to the side following suspension while Joe Rankin-Costello was also named in the XI in place of Lewis Baker and Callum Brittain, who was ruled out through illness.

Rohl re-introduced key man Barry Bannan back in the starting fold in one of four changes for his team.

The Owls mustered the first effort on target when Dominic Iorfa jumped highest to Marvin Johnson’s teasing delivery but goalkeeper Aynsley Pears was equal to it.

Wednesday started to look the brighter of the two teams and after Dominic Hyam brought down Anthony Musaba just outside the area, Josh Windass’ resulting free-kick needed to be saved by the diving Pears.

Bannan was next to have a crack from distance as Wednesday enjoyed their best spell of the match but he saw his effort deflect wide.

Blackburn almost took the lead in stunning fashion as the ball fell for Travis outside the area and he rifled the ball off the underside of the bar.

It was the hosts’ turn to be denied by the woodwork a couple of minutes later when Bannan picked out Bernard, who nodded onto the crossbar.

Wednesday keeper James Beadle was a bystander for much of the first half but was called into action within the first two minutes of the second period to deny Tyrhys Dolan with Rovers’ first shot on target.

Rovers caused more problems in the opening 10 minutes of the second half than they managed in the whole of the first, Todd Cantwell threading through to the onrushing Dolan but Beadle smothered his effort to safety.

The visitors broke the deadlock in the 68th minute when Rankin-Costello’s ball picked out substitute Gueye, who headed home from close range.

Wednesday went in search of an equaliser and Michael Smith directed a header goalwards at the back post but Pears scrambled to safety as Rovers held on for yet another win.