Sheffield Wednesday midfielder says sorry to team-mates after red card in Blackburn Rovers capitulation

The midfield dynamo was shown a straight red card in the first half after he caught Lewis Travis late with a tackle. It was a poor challenge and referee Jarred Gillett showed no hesitation in giving Luongo his marching orders.

Luongo's sending off came just four minutes after Lewis Holtby neatly put Rovers ahead.

Wednesday wide man Adam Reach told The Star: "He apologised and said he let everyone down.

"Whether he did or not, I don't know because I don't know how bad the tackle was. I have not seen it back.

"It looked like two boys going in for a 50/50 tackle, but we can't really complain about that.

"We started poorly.

"It didn't help with Mass but we weren't very good anyway today. We were poor."

Wednesday slumped to their fourth Championship loss in the last five outings after Rovers tore them apart defensively at a shell-shocked Hillsborough. They trailed 3-0 at half-time after a Holtby double and a Cameron Dawson own goal.

Goals from Darragh Lenihan and Sam Gallagher completed a dominant Rovers showing after the break.

"We didn't start the game very well and went down to 10 men early on," said Reach.

"We took a few too many chances on the edge of our own box and that's something we haven't done in the last couple of games.

"When you lose a man that early and you are already a goal down, it is very difficult.

“I don't think anyone can say anything about the commitment. We worked to the end.

"Once you go three nil down and down to 10 men, it is damage limitation really.

"We were disappointed to go and concede another two but it is that catch 22 when you still want to try and attack and work hard and do the right things but you don't want the score to get out of hand and it kind of did today.

"We have got a good, strong dressing room in there.

"We will dust ourselves down and get on with it.”