Sheffield Wednesday 2 Blackburn Rovers 1: Vincent Sasso in at double to earn fortunate Owls win

It was an occasion that Vincent Sasso is not likely to forget as he provided the footballing romance on a night not without its imperfections.

The Parisian has emerged as a bit of an unsung hero of late and after some composed defensive performances in the absence of Tom Lees, he afforded himself a love-in with Wednesdayites, courtesy of his first two goals in English football.

Sasso’s first-half strikes were instinctive and deadly, with the centre-back showing predatory instincts the like of which Wednesday’s healthy contingent of central strikers would have been proud.

There was certainly not much romance for Rovers, who clearly did not have luck on their side.

The visitors were handed a late red card, Hope Akpan dismissed four minutes from time for appearing to push referee Scott Duncan in frustration after he saw a ‘goal’ ruled out for handball.

It rubbed salt into their wounds with substitute Marvin Emnes having seen a blistering long-ranger smash the underside of the bar moments earlier.

After the personal highs of Friday night against Birmingham, it was a much more inhibited night for Jordan Rhodes and Sam Winnall, while Fernando Forestieri was demoted to the bench with Adam Reach starting.

After posing the Birmingham rearguard a heap of problems at the back, the Owls relied on their time-honoured seasonal traits of grit, resolve and organisation to hold firm – not for the first time at Hillsborough this term. And luck too, it has to be said.

While displaying some key moments of cutting-edge incision in the first half, Wednesday grimly dug in on the restart.

It was by no means pretty, but the collection of three more points from a third successive victory – an 11th Championship home win of the campaign – provided ample consolation. One for the pragmatists, not the romantics.

After the surfeit of first-half chances against Birmingham came a comparative trickle four nights on for the hosts, but fortunately the ones that were crafted showcased Wednesday’s clinical credentials.

The beneficiary on each occasion following sweet deliveries from Barry Bannan and then Ross Wallace was Sasso.

The first broke the deadlock in eye-catching fashion on 18 minutes with the untracked Frenchman ghosting onto Bannan’s lofted free-kick before steadying himself and firing home an effortless first-time volley, which flew past Jason Steele.

The defender provided an encore shortly before the interval when he powered home an unstoppable header after latching onto a fine inswinging corner from Wallace.

The Scottish winger also delivered the Owls’ other moment of class in a patchy half when he rattled the bar with a sweet free-kick shortly before Sasso’s opener, Steele getting the faintest of touches.

Most of the poise and quality in open play came from Rovers, who belied their lowly status, although their leveller two minutes after Sasso’s goal was scrappy. Parity was restored when Hutchinson diverted Danny Graham’s close-range header past Kieran Westwood following Danny Guthrie’s corner.

Connor Mahoney also tested Westwood in a half that saw a lengthy delay after Sam Gallagher was stretchered off following a challenge from Sam Hutchinson, one with which several members of the Rovers’ ranks were unhappy.

They also had grievances in the second half, more especially with their lack of luck as Wednesday held out for a fortunate win.

A combination of the woodwork and Westwood helped keep the Owls’ lead intact as Rovers pressed ferociously for a leveller, particularly late on, nerves palpable among home fans.

Westwood made a quickfire save to deny Emnes superbly and then fellow substitute Liam Feeney before Emnes went desperately close with a superb long-ranger – ahead of Akpan’s indiscretion.

At the other end, the hosts’ opportunities were piecemeal, aside from a couple of shots from Forestieri and a strike that whistled wide for Bannan.

But wins come in all shapes and sizes, with the Owls now four points clear of seventh-placed Norwich – with a game in hand and looking up.

Sheffield Wednesday: Westwood; Hunt, Loovens, Sasso, Fox (Forestieri 45); Wallace, Hutchinson (Jones 73), Bannan, Reach; Rhodes, Winnall (Fletcher 56). Unused substitutes: Wildsmith, Abdi, McManaman, Palmer.

Blackburn Rovers: Steele; Lowe, Lenigan, Mulgrew, Williams; Guthrie (Emnes 65), Gallagher (Conway 37), Akpan, Bennett, Mahoney (Feeney 72); Graham. Unused substitutes: Raya, Nyambe, Tomlinson, Brown.

Referee: S Duncan (Northumberland).