New manager Jos Luhukay was quietly pleased as ten-man Wednesday battled their way to a share of the points in a goalless draw at Bramall Lane on Friday night.
We saw Glenn Loovens sent off for a second yellow card on 65 minutes after a foul on Clayton Donaldson but Wednesday, who looked more organised than in recent weeks, showed the necessary resilience to take a well-earned point from Sheff U.
Luhukay said: “The game was very hard but I must give a compliment to my team for the fight they were giving me in the 90th minute.
“At the end we also had two good situations from distance.”
He added: “The defending over 90 minutes showed a good stability but in the first half we were losing the ball too fast in our opponents’ half.
“It can be better but we must take take it step by step and this was the first step I think.
“We have so many injuries but what they did today gives me hope for the next games we have.”
Lucas Joao proved a handful up front for Sheff U in the first half and we went close early in the second period when Daniel Pudil saw his volley from the edge of the box curl just wide.
Joe Wildsmith pulled off the save of the game when he tipped over Donaldson’s second-half header and ex-Owl Leon Clarke nodded wide when well placed.
However, we might have snatched it in the closing minutes when Adam Reach saw his 20-yarder tipped over the bar by home keeper Simon Moore and he also denied Ross Wallace.
The point lifted Wednesday one position to 15th place but, after Saturday’s fixtures, we slipped back to 17th and seven points clear of the relegation positions.