Blackburn goalkeeper Aynsley Pears concedes freak own goal in relegation clash against Sheffield Wednesday | OneFootball

Blackburn goalkeeper Aynsley Pears was the victim of a freak own goal on Sunday afternoon as his side slipped to a 3-1 loss at home to Sheffield Wednesday.

In the 63rd minute at Ewood Park, Blackburn defender Dominic Hyam played a simple pass backwards towards Pears, who should have easily been able to punt the ball upfield with little fuss.

Instead, the 25-year-old ‘keeper misjudged his kick as he tried to clear the ball out of the box. Pears sliced his contact and the ball came off the outside of his boot, bouncing away from him and towards the goal.

He tried to avoid using his hands to divert the ball away from goal, but the spin that his slice had put on the ball took it over the line and gave The Owls a 3-1 lead.

An early goal from Josh Windass had given Wednesday the lead, before the Championship’s top goalscorer, Sammie Szmodics, levelled for the home side.

Marvin Johnson then gave Wednesday the lead in the 58th minute, five minutes before Pears’ crucial error. The game finished with the same scoreline, and Wednesday moved out of the relegation zone and in 21st in the Championship.

The game finished with the same scoreline, and Wednesday moved out of the relegation zone and into 21st in the Championship. Their status is far from safe though, as they sit just one points away from the relegation zone, with West Brom and Sunderland as their last two fixtures.

A win for Blackburn may have made the home side safe from relegation, but Rovers now sit 19th in the league, on 49 points, with two games left to play against FA Cup overachievers Coventry and league leaders Leicester.

Rotherham have already been relegated, with Huddersfield and Birmingham City occupying the other two relegation places on 44 and 46 points respectively.

automatic promotion place with 89 points.