Blackburn bounced back impressively from the midweek hammering against Fulham by coming from behind to convincingly defeat Sheffield United 3-1.
It was a real display of character from Tony Mowbray’s Sky Bet Championship team, who were beaten 7-0 at home by Fulham in the week.
The hosts could be forgiven for having a sense of deja vu when they fell behind within 90 seconds to Rhian Brewster’s first league goal for United
But Rovers were deservedly level eight minutes before the break when Reda Khadra marked his first start for the club with his first goal.
From there, Rovers were superior and Ben Brereton Diaz completed the turnaround in the 59th minute, tapping home from close range.
In a game of firsts, Ian Poveda’s quick feet brought a first Blackburn goal of his own in the 70th minute to seal the success.
It was a disappointing performance from the Blades who, despite Morgan Gibbs-White hitting the woodwork, delivered little on their way to a second defeat in three matches.
Blackburn’s defence was breached within two minutes when Scott Wharton failed to intercept a pass to Sharp and the veteran wriggled free before floating a cross in for the unmarked Brewster, who spectacularly volleyed into the roof of the net from 12 yards.
To the hosts’ credit, they were the better side despite that early setback and struck a 37th-minute equaliser – albeit fortuitously – through Khadra, who jinked beyond Chris Basham and inside from the left before letting fly on the edge of the area with an effort that took a wicked deflection to completely wrong-foot Robin Olsen.
Rovers started the second half in the ascendancy, but the Blades went close in the 57th minute after Sharp brilliantly controlled a long ball to set up a chance but his shot was blocked by the legs of Thomas Kaminski.
It proved crucial as Blackburn went ahead two minutes later when Lewis Travis found Poveda and his low cross from the byline was tailor-made for Brereton Diaz, who tapped home his 13th goal this term from two yards out.
And they broke in devastating fashion in the 70th minute to add a third as Brereton Diaz released Poveda and – although his initial shot was saved – he provided a touch of magic with a touch that took the ball away from Olsen before firing in from close range.
The Blades somehow passed up a chance to pull a goal back with 15 minutes to go as Lys Mousset was denied with just Kaminski to beat, before Gibbs-White’s thunderous effort smacked the post.
Rovers could have made the scoreline even more emphatic but Olsen palmed away from Brereton Diaz, before a fine curling effort from John Buckley thumped the post.
It mattered not, as Blackburn climbed to sixth in the table.
