Caretaker boss Neil Thompson was pleased with the commitment of the Wednesday side in today’s goalless Hillsborough draw with Huddersfield and felt we looked the more likely team to get a winner in the second half.
Under-21s manager Thompson, who only had a couple of days to prepare after taking temporary charge in midweek from Xisco Munoz, reverted to a starting line-up of players who helped Wednesday to last season’s promotion to the Championship – apart from summer signing Di’Shon Bernard.
He said afterwards: “We went back to basics today and getting that clean sheet was vital, it’s the foundation of everything you need to for a team to succeed.
“It wasn’t the best game in terms of chances, I don’t think either keeper was really worked, but from our point of view, that clean sheet is a big positive.”
He added: “It was a scrappy game and a bit frantic. There were two teams who didn’t want to lose, it was always going to be tight and a bit cagey. There was not a lot of quality possession but a lot of endeavour.
“We had a spell just before half time where we got a bit of controlled possession in their half and might have done a bit more with it. Then, in the second 45, I thought we were the team that was probably going to score. Pato had a little chance in the box, it was a game of few chances but if you’re not going to win it, then don’t lose it and we didn’t.
“It’s a pre-requisite that you compete and that’s what we got from the boys today. They put a lot into the game, we got a clean sheet and would have loved to have won it – but it wasn’t to be.”
The returning Reece James had to be substituted in the closing minutes due to a back spasm but, with the international break, now has a fortnight to recover.