Sheffield Wed 3 Blackburn 2: Magical Johnson makes switch in style as Owls head to safety

Seyi Olofinjana has pledged to do the spade work for Jermaine Johnson if the enigmatic winger can rescue Sheffield Wednesday’s season.

The Nigerian midfielder has featured in back-to-back Hillsborough victories after swapping the promotion race with Hull City for a loan move and a relegation scrap in Sheffield.

The 32-year-old made his debut in the 2-1 win over Barnsley and was applauding along with 24,000 supporters as Johnson produced a virtuoso performance to defeat Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

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During his six years at Hillsborough, Owls fans have always been left wondering which Johnson would turn up. On his day he could grace the Premier League – both Olofinjana, of top-flight pedigree, and manager Dave Jones described him as “unplayable” – but he can frustrate in equal measure.

Yet, having been switched from the wing to a second striker alongside Leroy Lita against big-spending Rovers, the Jamaican international was the best player on the park.

Blackburn’s £8m striker Jordan Rhodes – who smashed in four goals the previous time he played at Hillsborough, in Huddersfield Town’s colours – slotted home a 12th-minute penalty.

Johnson jinked his way into the area before firing low into Grzegorz Sandomierski’s left-hand corner to equalise and Lita added a penalty 10 minutes from the break tp give Owls the lead.

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However, when Scott Dann headed home on 71 minutes, the match looked like ending in a stalemate – until Johnson pounced.

He collected the ball after a pacy run from Jeremy Helan and drilled home a fierce shot from 30 yards. His celebrations in plonking himself on the front row of the North Stand were as flamboyant as the goal itself.

“It was a wonderful winner,” said Olofinjana. “He has done brilliantly, but he is so temperamental at times. We can sit here and talk for hours about JJ because he is such a character.

“But when he is on his game he is unplayable. On his day, he can be anything, but when he is not on song he can be very lazy defensively which can cause all sorts of trouble.

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“But, as long as he does that every week, I don’t mind doing all the running, doing his job.

“He is a good lad on the training ground, fantastic and works ever so hard. He is one of the boys, not big-time, a squad player.”

Leading scorer Michail Antonio, a similar player to Wednesday’s match-winner in that they both have electric pace and an eye for goal, has been ruled out for the season with injury, but Olofinjana believes Johnson can fill the gap.

“It has taken him a few games to realise that. I have only been here a week, but with the last few games we have played he is realising the upward movement of this club might rest on his shoulders,” said Olofinjana. “He can create things, score himself, and he knows we are there to support him. We give him the ball and let him do his magic.”

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Former Wolves and Stoke midfield grafter Olofinjana has played against Johnson numerous times and admits: “He is a very difficult opponent. To be fair, there have been very different games I have played against him.

“On occasions, he has been hopeless, but when it’s his day he is unplayable.”

Wednesday started badly when centre-half Miguel Llera failed to deal with a long punt, letting in Rhodes.

Owls goalkeeper Chris Kirkland did well to deny the Blackburn striker, but then pulled down David Dunn as the ball ran loose and Rhodes tucked home the penalty.

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But after Jermaine Johnson’s equaliser, namesake Reda Johnson won the hosts a penalty after he had his shirt pulled while challenging for a far-post header.

Lita emphatically despatched the spot-kick, but Wednesday were punished for a nervous start to the second half when Rovers levelled.

Llera was at fault again, caught at the far post as Dann headed home for Blackburn, who have struggled to deal with the physical challenge of the Championship after relegation and look destined for League One football next term. That view was rubberstamped as Jermaine Johnson rammed home his sixth goal of the campaign – his third in two games – to pull Wednesday three points clear of the drop zone and leave Rovers in it.

“It was wonderful, it feels good,” said Olofinjana. “It was very difficult for us, but we know every game now is going to be like that.

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“We know how important it is to get points at this stage of the season, considering where we are right now, but I think we are handling it well.

“I have not been surprised (by being in a relegation battle), because I have been in this position before. It’s about having men out there who want to fight for the club and fight for themselves. We are definitely up for that.

“It’s very difficult being in this position to keep picking up points, a lot of clubs would have packed it in. But we are fighting for our lives and definitely see ourselves staying in the Championship. We lack a bit of quality at times, I must say that, but then the ability to defend as a team – to grind results out – is evident here.

“We need to stay in this league and then build for next season.”

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Wednesday suffered a blow when striker Gary Madine – last season’s top scorer – suffered a hamstring injury in training. He was due to have a scan yesterday.

It meant manager Jones pairing Lita and former Bradford City winger Jermaine Johnson up front, and it worked to perfection.

“We came up with a plan and it worked for us,” said Jones. “JJ is a danger in that position.

“When they play wide, they don’t get as much recovery time, because they are up and down the pitch. But if we find them a little pocket, they can exploit it.

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“JJ can get you out of your seat, but sometimes he can dump you back in it. That’s the type of player he is, an impact player. He was different class but has to do it again now he has set the standard.”

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