For the second time this season, a Blackburn Rovers home match in the Championship has been abandoned due to a waterlogged pitch, leaving fans and players frustrated at Ewood Park.
Rovers' Lead Washed Away by Relentless Rain
The game against Sheffield Wednesday was halted on the hour mark with Blackburn leading 1-0. The decisive moment had come in the 33rd minute when Yuki Ohashi scored his fifth goal of the campaign to put the hosts in front. Wednesday's only major chance saw Bailey Cadamarteri's strike saved by Aynsley Pears early in the second half.
Referee Ruebyn Ricardo initially took the teams off for a 10-minute inspection, but with ground staff unable to clear the standing water and the rain continuing to fall, he had no choice but to abandon the fixture. The atmosphere turned mutinous, with home supporters once again voicing their discontent with the club's owners, Venky's.
Championship Roundup: Touchline Brawls and Managerial Starts
Elsewhere in the Championship, Millwall secured a 1-0 win over Bristol City thanks to a second-half strike from Mihailo Ivanovic. The game at Ashton Gate ended in ugly scenes, however, with a mass brawl involving staff and players from both clubs erupting after the final whistle.
League leaders Coventry City saw their five-match winning run emphatically ended, slumping to a 3-0 defeat away at Ipswich Town. Goals from Sindre Walle Egeli, George Hirst and Ivan Azon sealed the win for the hosts, who climbed to fourth.
Sheffield United's revival continued with a comprehensive 4-0 victory over Stoke City at Bramall Lane, making it four league wins in a row for the Blades.
Southampton and Leicester Celebrate New Beginnings
At St Mary's, Adam Armstrong scored twice to give new permanent Southampton manager Tonda Eckert a perfect start with a 3-1 win over Birmingham City. Eckert, who had won four of five games as caretaker, was given a contract until the end of next season just before the match.
Leicester City manager Martí Cifuentes also enjoyed a crucial result, celebrating a 3-1 win at local rivals Derby County to ease some of the pressure on his position.
In other results, Watford came from behind to beat Norwich City 3-2 with a late Tom Ince winner, while QPR beat West Brom 3-1, condemning the Baggies to a sixth consecutive away defeat.
Tragically, the match between Charlton Athletic and Portsmouth was abandoned after a supporter was taken ill in the stands. Medical staff treated the fan before they were taken to hospital, where they later passed away. Both clubs expressed their condolences.
