Rovers reporter Rich Sharpe picks out five talking points from the win over Sheffield Wednesday.

UNLIKELY HEROES

Neither Tosin Adarabioyo, or John Buckley, had scored a goal in senior football but delivered at the most opportune moment to spark the most unlikely of comebacks.

Adarabioyo headed home the equaliser with two minutes of normal time to go, and just as four additional minutes had been signalled John Buckley’s deflected effort found the back of the net.

In doing so, the pair became the ninth and 10th different scorers for Rovers in the league this season.

Adarabioyo did his day job well, winning more headers than anyone on the pitch, exactly what Rovers needed him to do having succumbed to an aerial barrage against Preston.

Atdhe Nuhiu did make a difference when Wednesday went two up front late on, and it was a surprise they didn’t do so from the start, but in a week where Rovers’ leadership was called in to question, the Manchester City loanee demonstrated that with several important clearances.

Buckley made his senior debut for Rovers at Hillsborough in March and became the first Rovers substitute since Craig Conway on that day to come off the bench and score.

DIGGING DEEP

Some fans had started to head for the exits as Rovers trailed to Jacob Murphy’s goal six minutes from time. The Rovers response was quick however, Adarabioyo equalising some four minutes later, before the newly-introduced Buckley came up with the winner in the first minute of stoppage time.

Seven days earlier Rovers’ character, mentality, and leadership had been called in to question after the second half collapse at Preston. And there would have been more questions to answer were it not for the late show.

In the nervy closing stages, Joe Rothwell did something that wouldn’t come naturally to him, twice thumping the ball in to the stands, and Christian Walton, criticised for his role in Preston’s opening goal a week earlier, came up with a fine save to deny Sam Hutchinson and then to punch clear a late Wednesday corner.

CENTRE OF ATTENTION

Lewis Travis, recalled to the side, started the opening five games of this season alongside Bradley Johnson and with two appearances together since, that remains Rovers most used central midfield combination.

But since then, things have been less settled in the middle of midfield, an area Rovers have no shortage of options.

There’s been Travis and Johnson, Johnson and Buckley, Travis and Downing, Evans and Bennett, Travis and Evans, Evans and Downing and it feels as though Mowbray is still searching for the best partnership.

Surprisingly left out against Preston however, it feels as though Travis has to be a certain starter given his ability to drive forward from the middle of the park, qualities other options don’t have.

CREDIT WHERE IT’S DUE

Having criticised Mowbray’s lack of substitutions at Preston seven days earlier, when the opposition made game-changing alterations, it would be remiss not to mention the impact of his changes.

Danny Graham brought life to proceedings at the head of the Rovers attack, lifting the crowd and his team, and provided Wednesday defender Julian Borner, otherwise faultless in to that, with something more to think about.

Joe Rothwell still appears to be better as an impact substitute, and Rothwell on for Lewis Holtby may well be a change we talk often about. Rothwell went close to putting Rovers ahead when his header forced a fine save out of Keiren Westwood.

All three combined, albeit a few deflections involved along the way, as Buckley came up with the winner.

Maybe Mowbray was going to send on Corry Evans over Buckley, at a time when Rovers were beginning to get over-run moments before the Wednesday goal.

Maybe there was a slice of luck involved in Buckley’s winner that didn’t fall Wednesday’s win when Fernando Forestieri’s shot came back off the post after a similar deflection.

But no-one could begrudge Rovers or there manager that during what has been a testing run.

UNWANTED STATS

The Rovers late show brought with it the end of some rather unwanted statistics.

In one swoop they achieved a first comeback win since beating Peterborough 3-1 at Ewood Park in April 2018, and for the first time since a New Year’s Day victory over West Brom, won at home when the opposition scored.

Buckley’s injury-time winner was the first since Sam Gallagher’s against QPR in February 2017, while Buckley became the first substitute to score since March.

Had Buckley not found the late winner, it would have been a third consecutive draw at Ewood for the first time in five years.