Wednesday climbed out of the relegation places with a battling 3-2 win over previously unbeaten West Brom at Hillsborough today.
We totally dominated in the first half to lead 2-0, saw the visitors get back on level terms with an 84th minute equaliser but then snatched victory two minutes later to chalk up our first Championship win since the opening day of the season.
Wednesday took the lead on nine minutes when a crossfield move involving Josh Windass, Liam Palmer and Barry Bannan saw Marvin Johnson send in a trademark cross from the left which deflected off defender Darnell Furlong and flew past his keeper Alex Palmer into the far corner of the Kop net.
And West Brom had rarely threatened before we doubled our lead, a long route one ball down the middle from Akin Famewo found Windass just inside the box and he looped a header expertly over the stranded Palmer.
Bannan sent a long-ranger over the bar as Wednesday continued to dominate and then Olaf Kobacki saw his close-in effort from a tight angle blocked by the feet of Palmer when he might have have pulled the ball back instead of going for a goal
West Brom’s first threat of note came on 37 minutes when James Beadle spread himself expertly to block Karlan Grant from close range but Wednesday hit back when Palmer saw his shot blocked and the keeper saved the rebound from Johnson.
Semi Ajayi headed over from six yards out soon afterwards when he should have hit the target and that was a warning of what was to come from the visitors in the second half.
Kyle Bartley missed a similar headed chance for the Baggies just before the hour and they were back in the match five minutes later when we failed to cut out a Tom Fellows’ cross from the right and leading scorer Josh Maja was allowed to steal in and head home at the far post.
Worse followed seven minutes from time with West Brom equalising in somewhat fortunate manner. Alex Mowatt latched onto a headed clearance from Michael Smith on the edge of the box, shot into the ground and then watched the ball loop over Beadle and into the net.
However, just when the majority of the 26,000 crowd were fearing the worst Wednesday bounced back with a quickfire reply two minutes later to regain the lead.
Max Lowe found Bannan down the left and the skipper crossed perfectly for sub Anthony Musaba to tap home from inside the six-yard box to clinch a confidence-boosting victor, also putting us on seven points from seven games played.
Beadle, Valery, Ihiekwe, Famewo, Johnson (Musaba 69), Palmer, S Charles, Bannan, Kobacki (M Lowe 61), Windass (Ingesson 90), Ugbo (Smith 69). Unused subs: P Charles, J Lowe, Valentin, Otegbayo, Gassama.