Grant Hanley quick off the mark for Blackburn Rovers to lift Eric Black with victory over Sheffield Wednesday
Blackburn Rovers 1 Sheffield Wednesday 0
Grant Hanley's first-half effort moved Blackburn Rovers back into the Championship's top six as caretaker manager Eric Black finally saw his side notch a victory last night.
The Blackburn Rovers man found the net after just five minutes in Black's fifth game in charge.And it was to be the only goal to leave visiting manager Dave Jones under even more pressure as his struggling Sheffield Wednesday side succumbed to their ninth game without a win.
It was a promising start to appease any agitated home fans who have not seen their side win since Steve Kean left as Grant Hanley tucked a chance away from close range to put the hosts ahead after a good run and cross by veteran Rovers man David Dunn.
Just after the half-hour mark, however, Michail Antonio squandered a superb chance for Jones' struggling visitors by slicing wide when clean through on goal.
Blackburn's top scorer Jordan Rhodes stung the hands of Chris Kirkland with a long-range effort just before the break.
Just two minutes into the second half, Miguel Llera had a chance to pull the score level for the visitors but his header did not trouble Robinson in the hosts' goal.
Rhodes alleviated some pressure on Rovers when his cross-field ball was met by the on-rushing Ruben Rochina, but the Blackburn attacker hit his attempt straight at Kirkland, who saved with his feet.
Moments later, Lewis Buxton came within inches of putting Jones' side level when he turned in the area, but his curling effort was just wide of the upright before Llera cleared a Morten Gamst Pedersen free-kick off the line.
Blackburn Rovers (4-3-1-2): Robinson; Orr, Hanley, Dann, Givet; M Olsson, Lowe, Etuhu; Dunn (Rochina, 35); Rhodes, Kazim-Richards. Substitutes not used Kean, Gamst Pedersen, Murphy, Gomes,, Rosado.
Sheffield Wednesday (4-5-1): Kirkland; Buxton, Taylor, Llera, Jones; Johnson, Barkley, Corry, Semedo, Antonio; Madine. Substitutes not used Davies, Maguire, O'Grady, Mattock, Rodri, Pecnik, Mayor.
Referee P Gibbs (West Midlands).
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