Wednesday staged a second-half comeback to begin our EFL Trophy challenge with a 2-1 win at Salford this evening.

The home side totally dominated the first 45 minutes with the Owls, lacking several first-teamers away on international duties, managing a single effort on target just before half-time from Di’Shon Bernard.

At the other end, Salford went close to taking the lead after only 12 minutes when Luke Garbutt cracked a 20-yarder against the bar, the ball hitting the back of the diving Ashley Maynard-Brewer before being cleared.

The Wednesday keeper then blocked from Kyrrell Malcolm and denied the same player with a tipover save when he fired goalwards with a long-ranger.

However, the goal Salford deserved did come on 34 minutes when Ben Woodburn curled home from the edge of the box.

Hopes of a Wednesday revival looked unlikely at that stage but the game was turned on its head 10 minutes into the second half, Will Grainger sending Joel Akpobi free down the left and when he crossed into the box there was Davis Keillor-Dunn to head home the equaliser from six yards out.

Midway through the half, Henrik Pedersen brought on Callum Slattery and Jamal Lowe and their experience reaped rewards 13 minutes from time.

Slattery was brought down by Woodburn as he burst into the box and Lowe stepped up to fire the resulting spot kick down the middle of the goal to complete a victory that had looked highly unlikely after such a poor first-half showing.

In tonight’s other opening game in the four-team Northern Group A, Accrington Stanley defeated Sunderland under-21s 3-1 on penalties after the teams drew 3-3 in normal time.

Our next group game sees us at home to Sunderland under-21s on October 6, kick off 7pm.

Maynard-Brewer, Palmer, Weaver, Bernard (Otegbayo 61), James (McPartland 61), Heskey, Thornton, Akpobi (Duruh 88), Keillor-Dunn, Grainger (Slattery 68), Burstow (Lowe 68). Unused subs: Trueman, Oliver.