Wednesday turned in a much-improved performance to register our first Championship win of the season in a 2-1 victory over Millwall at Hillsborough on Wednesday evening.
Jos Luhukay made five changes from the shocking display at Brentford, with Fernando Forestieri, Sam Hutchinson and Atdhe Nuhiu all dropped to the bench, while academy pair Fraser Preston and Matt Penney made their full debuts.
And the side showed far more commitment and determination to earn the points – despite a typical nail-biting finish as Millwall pressed for an equaliser.
Barry Bannan fired us into a deserved lead on 16 minutes with an unstoppable volley from the edge of the box and, while Millwall looked dangerous on the break, we could well have been two-up on the stroke of half- time but Jordan Thorniley headed wide.
However, we did double our advantage just after the restart, Tom Lees turning the ball home from close range at the far post after Millwall failed to clear Bannan’s free kick.
The visitors got back into the game with 18 minutes left when Lee Gregory latching onto an indecisive defensive header from Lees and pulling the ball back for Ryan Tunnicliffe to net.
Sub Nuhiu went close to sealing our victory but failed to turn home Barry Bannan’s fierce shot-come-cross at the far post and there were some nervy moments in the final minutes.
Liam Palmer blocked James Meredith’s effort on the line in added time and Cameron Dawson pounced on the rebound from Lee Gregory, before we could celebrate all three points for the first time this season.
The win lifts us to 17th place in the early Championship table, with another home game to come on Saturday against Ipswich.
Dawson, Palmer, Lees, Thorniley, Penney, Preston (Boyd 78), Bannan, Pelupessy, Reach, Matias (Forestieri 69), Fletcher (Nuhiu 69). Attendance: 21,349.