Blackburn Rovers 1 Sheffield Wednesday 4 - Peter White's big match verdict

DEEP in the heart of Ewood's equivalent to the legendary Anfield 'boot room', there would be hurt and disappointment at a scoreline and performance which must have left Blackburn Rovers feeling as though they had stumbled into the path of a runaway train.

But it's a fair bet there were no great expressions of shock, or even surprise behind closed doors.

For Brian Kidd has been preaching caution about the club's predicament and refused to underestimate the size of the task he inherited from day one.

Indeed, it seems he had seen something like this coming, as stand-in skipper Stephane Henchoz revealed later.

It was the sort of day we hoped had been consigned to the past but which came back to haunt Rovers.

Live-wire Wednesday were decisive, dominant and dictated the pattern of the game against a team who looked like zombies in comparison.

And there were two obvious reasons for the difference between the two teams who began the day just three points apart but ended it looking in different leagues.

While Wednesday were coming off the back of a clear week, Rovers were trying to maintain standards after a hugely-demanding spell. Almost from the opening minutes, you could see they were struggling, physically and mentally, to cope with a much brighter visiting side.

Wednesday had a spring in their step, Rovers looked like they had feet of lead.

The other major factor is one which also, inevitably, had to catch up with them sooner or later; the lack of a central midfield figure of real authority.

Earlier in the season, Rovers had Tim Sherwood, Garry Flitcroft and Billy McKinlay.

For one reason or another, Kidd now has none of that trio at his disposal but he has long been more aware than anyone of the problems.

As Henchoz said after limping off with a bizarre combination of injuries: "The manager said all the right things after three away games when we have done well.

"He told us not to be over confident, in fact he told us to be very careful. He showed the right attitude and saw the danger."

Wednesday dictated midfield, with the excellent Wim Jonk in fine form, and Benito Carbone and Petter Rudi pulled Rovers all over the place with their intelligent running, skill and ability to find space.

Such assets, for all the effort applied, were not evident from Rovers.

In fact, there was a distinct lack of good movement which was a contributing factor to the team's atrocious passing in the first half. When there are precious few options it is all too easy to give the ball away. True, much of Wednesday's best work was done on the counter attack but that is the way of the modern game.

Jason McAteer made a bright start and so too did Damien Duff, who was to be Rovers' most threatening attacker all afternoon.

But there were warning signs from Andy Booth and a great defensive header by Jeff Kenna which suggested Wednesday were about to take over.

Once they had scored, through Danny Sonner in the 20th minute, there was little doubt which team would be collecting the points.

Duff's excellent early effort - just wide - was forgotten as Rudi crossed to the near post, Booth laid it off and Sonner, with time and space, hit a shot across John Filan from the corner of the six-yard box.

Rovers totally lacked a spark and cohesion and, in the 41st minute, Carbone summed up the difference between the sides.

Lovely skills, this time on the right, saw him control the ball and leave defenders for dead before pulling his cross back from the byeline.

Rudi had moved into the middle and, unchallenged, smashed his shot high into the net from the edge of the penalty area.

A minute later, a corner fell for Duff and he rattled the crossbar. It was a thin dividing line but a decisive one as Rudi (44 mins) grabbed Wednesday's third. From a Rovers corner, the Norwegian broke quickly, covering more than 50 yards. He fed Jonk on the right, continued his run and headed home the cross at the far post - simple really.

Rovers did manage a brave response, replacing the ineffective Matt Jansen with Nathan Blake, then forced to withdraw Henchoz.

Ashley Ward, Duff and Blake all had a go at reducing the deficit but Wednesday always looked threatening on the break and Filan twice defied Carbone.

On 68 minutes, McAteer picked up the ball and, from around 25 yards, unleashed a shot which took a deflection and finished in the bottom corner of the net. There was still a glimmer of hope, with Duff, Blake and a Keith Gillespie run and shot, just too high, going close.

But Wednesday, worthy winners, had the final say when Marlon Broomes slipped up badly from a long high ball, allowing Booth to win the challenge and slip the ball past the advancing keeper.

Jaded Rovers were left looking for energy and inspiration and, equally important, a midfield force.

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