Wednesday bounced back to winning form with a deserved 3-1 victory at Oxford this afternoon, lifting us into ninth place in the Championship.
It takes our recent away league record to five successes in the last six games on the road, moving the Owls to within five points of the play-offs and, while even the most ardent of fans won’t be getting carried away with our position to date, it’s good to be looking up rather than down at the table.
We started well enough at Oxford, the impressive Michael Smith netting smartly on 10 minutes only to be ruled offside.
However, sloppy play when in possession allowed Oxford to find their feet and they grabbed the lead seven minutes later, Greg Leigh turning the ball home from 10 yards with Wednesday defenders appealing for offside.
Boosted by this, the home side might have increased their lead in the next 10 minutes. First James Beadle denied Idris El Mizouni from the edge of the box, then the keeper missed the ball as he raced from his line and was grateful to see Dane Scarlett firing into the side netting when he looked odds-on to score.
Having survived that scare, we were back on level terms on 28 minutes, Josh Windass taking advantage of poor Oxford marking to turn home Shea Charles’ right-wing corner from six yards.
Beadle came to the rescue again when he blocked an effort from Owen Dale but Wednesday finished the first half the stronger side with Jamal Lowe’s header bringing out a diving save from keeper Jamie Cumming and then Smith was just inches away from converting a trademark low centre by Marvin Johnson.
We began the second half in similar style and took the lead within four minutes of the restart, Smith causing problems for Oxford as he challenged for Yan Valery’s ball into the box and with the home defence making a hash of trying to clear, Jamal Lowe took advantage to slot home from close range.
There were few signs of an Oxford fightback and that became an even bigger task shortly after the hour-mark when we struck with a third goal of real quality.
Barry Bannan found Smith just outside the penalty area and when he flicked the ball back to Djeidi Gassama the winger hit a swerving first-time volley from 20 yards low into the corner of the net.
That seemed to break any further resistance from the home side and Wednesday might easily have added to our goals tally in the closing stages.
Cumming denied Svante Ingelsson and saved the follow-up effort from Pol Valentin, Anthony Musaba was only just wide from 12 yards, then Smith fired well over when set up by Valentin before Musaba saw his 20-yarder pushed away by the keeper in added time.
Beadle, Valery (Iorfa 72), Bernard, M Lowe, S Charles, Bannan, Johnson, Gassama (Inglesson 72), Windass (Musaba 58), J Lowe (Valentin 58), Smith (Ugbo 88). Unused subs: P Charles, Palmer, Chalobah, McNeill.