Blackburn hit 10-man Sheffield Wednesday for five

Sheffield Wednesday’s play-off push suffered a damaging blow following a 5-0 thrashing home to Blackburn.

A Lewis Holtby brace and an unfortunate Cameron Dawson own-goal had all but sealed the points for Blackburn in a first half which saw Massimo Luongo dismissed for a high tackle.

Captain Darragh Lenihan and Sam Gallagher added to the score in the second half.

Wednesday boss Garry Monk named an unchanged starting line-up from the 2-0 away win against Leeds.

Osaze Urhoghide kept his place and made his first senior home appearance for the Owls. Club captain Tom Lees returned on the bench.

For the visitors, Tony Mowbray made the one change following his side’s 1-1 draw with Preston as Joe Rothwell replaced Cornelius Evans.

Neither side really took charge of what was a very quiet first 15 minutes. Gallagher, who looked lively, created a slight opening threading Rothwell through whose cut back was cleared away by the Wednesday defence.

But Adam Armstrong soon created the opening for Blackburn 19 minutes in. His work down the left created space for a shot which was parried back to him by Dawson. Armstrong then found an unmarked Holtby who neatly slotted past Dawson.

Wednesday’s poor start then got worse when Luongo saw red following a high challenge on Lewis Travis just four minutes after the opener.

Blackburn were dominating and deepened 10-man Wednesday’s first half nightmare by doubling their lead in the 36th minute.

Travis’ shot was brilliantly tipped onto the post by Dawson before the ball ricocheted off the woodwork, back off the goalkeeper and into the net.

Wednesday’s collapse was punished further with Holtby’s second of the game just before the break. He got on the end of another Armstrong cross to tap home from close range.

It was more of the same in the second half as Armstrong once again weaved his way through on the left before his cross was nearly turned in by Adam Reach who forced a quick-reaction save from his own keeper.

Blackburn’s dominant afternoon continued when Lenihan added a fourth, three minutes after the break.

Stewart Downing received a short corner before his left-footed cross found Lenihan at the far post who guided his volley into the roof of the net.

The Owls then had one of their very few shots in the game when substitute Sam Hutchinson curled a shot just wide of the post from outside the box.

Blackburn could have had more but for Dawson’s interventio,n keeping out Gallagher and Armstrong’s efforts.

Gallagher grabbed the fifth for Blackburn in stoppage time, racing through on goal before smashing past Dawson.