Henrik Pedersen was full of praise for young defender Cole McGhee, pictured, after watching his side earn a home point in a goalless draw against awayday specialists Blackburn at S6 on Monday night.

The Owls boss highlighted that only leaders Coventry have more away wins in the Championship this season and reflected on McGhee’s display after an ‘eleventh hour’ call-up, saying: “I thought Cole McGhee did really well, he is a young player with no experience in the Championship but he played a good game.

“Maybe he had no time to feel nervous because it happened so late but he played with a lot of composure and, if he was nervous, he did not show it.”

He also praised the rest of the squad’s performance, adding: “I think five or six games ago, we would have lost this match but the boys are growing mentally and physically and of course positive results help.

“They were not fresh because of all the matches they are playing but again they gave everything from the heart.

“It was not champagne football but we showed how to give everything to get a result. The clean sheet is the least the boys deserved because they did all that they could tonight.”

Pedersen also confirmed that Liam Cooper, who was replaced by McGhee in the build-up to kick off, had to withdraw from the line-up due to an allergic reaction.

*Sean Fusire’s Zimbabwe side bowed out of the Africa Cup of Nations tournament when they lost 3-2 to South Africa in their final Group B match in Marrakech on Monday. They finished bottom of their group with one point and Fusire was again an unused sub.