ROVERS’ nine-match unbeaten run in the Championship came to a heartbreaking end as substitute Claude Dielna scored the winner with virtually the last kick of the match.

The Owls raced into a third-minute lead after a mistake from recalled goalkeeper Jason Steele allowed Kieran Lee to tap home.

But Rovers restored 12 minutes later through Alex Baptiste’s first goal for the club at Ewood Park.

And that was it stayed until injury-time when Dielna, with one of his first touches of the ball since coming on, beat Steele with the aid of a deflection.

A first defeat since September 30 for Gary Bowyer’s side means they remain seventh in the standings, one point off the play-offs and seven from top spot.

Before kick-off Rovers boss Bowyer had a big call to make over who to start in goal.

He had to decide whether to bring back first-choice keeper Steele or keep faith with Simon Eastwood after his magnificent man-of-the-match performance in the dramatic 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough.

Steele, who had been unable to play against his parent club one week earlier, got the nod.

But it was a decision Bowyer must have been having second thoughts over after the on-loan Boro stopper gifted the Owls their early opener.

It had been a lively start to the game.

Jordan Rhodes, whose father Andy was on the opposition coaching staff, had the ball in the net after just 25 seconds.

Craig Conway, making his first start since October 4, crossed into the middle of the box where Rhodes took a touch before lashing the ball past Kieren Westwood.

But before the Rovers striker could celebrate, the goal was ruled out for offside.

Wednesday, who had drawn their previous four away games, went straight back up the other end and the marauding Jeremy Helan and Stevie May were only denied by a brave double save by Steele.

The former England U21s international blotted his copybook, then, 60 seconds later.

A long ball over the top found the run of the lively May whose shot, while on target, should have been comfortably gobbled up by Steele.

Instead he let it slip from his grasp and there was Lee to tuck away his first goal of the campaign.

It was no more than the Owls deserved for a dominant opening 10 minutes in which they did not let Rovers settle.

But they were pegged back in the 15th minute through Baptiste’s second goal of the season.

Baptiste had been involved in the initial build up, along with Conway and Lee Williamson, before Rhodes cleverly headed the ball into his path.

With just Westwood to beat the on-loan Bolton Wanderers right back stabbed the ball under the advancing keeper and over the line.

Rhodes was Rovers’ best player in the first half and it was his strong hold-up play that allowed former Wednesday loanee Ben Marshall to run and unleash an effort that Westwood gathered at the second attempt.

Steele made a better save two minutes later after Shane Duffy misjudged another long pass over the top.

That allowed May, whose clever movement caused the Rovers backline problem before the break, a free run at goal.

But the Scotland international’s attempt to steer the ball in at the near post was thwarted by Steele, who turned it around the post.

After a long stoppage in play that ended with Lewis McGugan being stretchered off after a collision with Williamson, Rhodes was desperately unlucky to see a lovely glancing header from a Conway cross come back off the post.

Then it was the turn of the Owls to go desperately close, Glenn Loovens flicking a Royston Drenthe free kick inches wide.

Referee Stephen Martin signalled seven additional minutes and in the first of those Rhodes once again had a goal disallowed for offside.

Rovers, missing the injured Tom Cairney, showed first in the second half when Duffy’s downward header from a Marshall corner delivered deep to the back post was turned behind by Westwood.

Westwood was tested again, in the 65th minute, when Rudy Gestede rose highest to head a long Marshall throw-in straight down his throat.

It was top-scorer Gestede’s last meaningful act of the match as in the 66th minute he and Williamson were replaced by Ryan Tunnicliffe and home debutant Chris Brown.

With Wednesday continuing to work tremendously hard Rovers needed fresh impetus.

The double substation gave it them, initially at least, as they saw two penalty appeals turned down in the space of a minute, both for alleged pushes in the back by Loovens on Corry Evans and then Duffy.

Westwood then had to be alert to turn a superbly struck 20-yard volley from Tunnicliffe over the bar as Rovers tried to ramp up the pressure.

The Owls, however, soaked it up and it led to Bowyer introducing David Dunn for Conway with eight minutes of normal time remaining.

And Dunn so nearly produced a moment of magic in the 88th minute, swapping passes with fellow sub Brown and flashing over a dangerous cross-shot that evaded everyone in the area.

For all the world the contest looked to be heading for a deserved draw.

But with the two minutes of injury-time played, Dielna was allowed to play a one-two with Lee before trying his luck with a 25-yard shot that nicked off a Rovers head and looped over Steele and into the net.

Rovers: Steele, Baptiste, Hanley, Duffy, Olsson, Conway (Dunn 82), Evans, Williamson (Tunnicliffe 66), Marshall, Gestede (Brown 66), Rhodes. Subs not used: Eastwood, Varney, Taylor, Songo’o.

Goal: Baptiste 16.

Wednesday: Westwood, Palmer, Loovens, Lees, Helan, Drenthe (Lavery 76), Lee, McGugan (Mattock 36), Maguire, May, Nuhiu (Dielna 90). Subs not used: Kirkland, Maghoma, Corry, McCabe.

Goals: Lee 3, Dielna 90.

Referee: Stephen Martin.

Attendance: 14,920.