Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper scores most comical own goal of the season

Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Aynsley Pears scored a comical own goal in a 3-1 loss to Sheffield Wednesday.

With the Lancashire outfit trailing 2-1 to the Owls, the ball was played back to the goalkeeper by his defender Dominic Hyam.

The ball did not appear to be passed back with much pace on it but Pears produced an absolute howler.

He tried to punt the ball up the pitch but took a wild swipe and ended up putting through his own net in inexplicable fashion.

Pears hurried to try and palm the ball away but it was too late as the spin carried it over the line. You will not see a more bizarre own goal all season.

The mistake was shown live on Sky Sports and Pears looked like he wanted the ground to swallow him up, while his teammates were in utter disbelief.

Josh Windass had put Wednesday 1-0 up early on at Ewood Park but Sammie Szmodics levelled just three minutes later.

Marvin Johnson put the visitors back in front in the second half before Pears came up with a passage of play straight out of Sunday League.

The defeat means Blackburn are just two points ahead of Wednesday and only three ahead of Birmingham City, who occupy the final relegation spot.

The horror show from Pears brought back memories of a mistake former Rovers and Spurs goalkeeper Paul Robinson made for England.

Playing in a Euro 2008 qualifier against Croatia in Zagreb, he received a backpass from Gary Neville but the ball hit a divot and bobbled over his foot as he went to clear.