Wednesday returned to winning ways with a 2-1 victory at division one leaders Wigan this evening.
It was a first success in five league games and, although we were left sweating for the three points in typical Wednesday fashion in the closing minutes, we deserved the win and it lifts us back up to ninth in the table, seven points behind new leaders Sunderland and two adrift of the play-off places.
After an uneventful opening 20 minutes, Wednesday took the lead midway through the half with a goal almost as comical as Bailey Peacock-Farrell’s howler at Ipswich on Saturday.
There looked little danger when Sam Hutchinson launched a long ball into the Wigan half but Max Power headed past his own keeper, Ben Amos, from 25 yards as the keeper advanced towards the edge of the box.
That goal promptly sparked a flurry of activity at both ends, Peacock-Farrell almost immediately producing a tremendous point-blank save from a header by former Owls loanee Will Keane and then Wednesday going close at the other end, Amos saving from Callum Paterson and Jaden Brown firing the rebound over the bar.
There was still time for Peacock-Farrell to come to Wednesday’s rescue again before the interval, pushing a Keane snapshot past the post.
We went close to doubling our lead within minutes of the restart, Lee Gregory’s cracking effort from the edge of the box matched by Amos’ save as he tipped it onto the bar and away for a corner.
Paterson fired just wide soon afterwards but he made it 2-0 on the hour. Gregory chased down what looked a lost cause and dispossessed Jack Whatmough before finding Paterson 12 yards out and he volleyed first time into the ground and high over Amos into the roof of the net.
Peacock-Farrell distinguished himself again on 68 minutes, standing tall to deny Callum Lang in a one-on-one, but it was Wednesday who looked the more likely side to score again and only the final pass or bad decision-making in the final third denied us that opportunity.
However, we allowed the home side back into the game with just nine minutes remaining, Marvin Johnson unnecessarily brought down Lang in the box and Charlie Wyke drilled home the resulting penalty.
Gregory fluffed a great chance to restore our two-goal advantage soon afterwards, his weak close-range effort allowing Amos to save, but we held out for a hard-earned victory after six nervy added minutes.
Peacock-Farrell, Palmer, Dunkley, Iorfa, Johnson, Hutchinson (Hunt 75), Adeniran, Wing, Brown (Shodipo 83), Paterson, Gregory. Subs. Wildsmith, Dele-Bashiru, Bannan, Berahino, Kamberi. Attendance 11,884 (3566 Wednesdayites).