Wednesday suffered only a second defeat in nine Championship matches as we went down 3-1 at Preston today.
We got ourselves back in the game at 1-1 early in the second half but a debatable penalty soon afterwards saw us fall behind and the home side completed their victory with a third goal 11 minutes from time, also seeing the Owls drop two places to 11th.
Wednesday began the game well, Michael Smith going close with a speculative 35-yarder and then Josh Windass saw his angled effort from inside the box deflect wide.
However, poor defending allowed Preston to take the lead just before the half-hour mark with their first threat of note. Jack Whatmough was allowed to head back across goal at the far post and Emil Riis was free to turn the ball home from inside the six-yard box.
Windass fired over at the start of the second half before Max Lowe denied Alistair McCann with a goal-line clearance at the other end.
And the hosts went even closer to doubling their lead when Sam Greenwood’s fierce drive from the edge of the box crashed against the underside of the bar
However, Wednesday were back on level terms within a minute of that let-off, Windass driving forward and firing an excellent low 25-yarder into the bottom corner of the net on 59 minutes.
Beadle then saved well from the dangerous Greenwood and the same player turned the game back in Preston’s favour just five minutes after our equaliser.
Djeidi Gassama lost possession as he tried to dribble upfield and Dominic Iorfa was adjudged to have fouled Josh Bowler as he moved into the box, Greenwood then sending James Beadle the wrong way from the resulting penalty.
Windass had an excellent chance to level soon afterwards but shot too close to keeper Freddie Woodman
in a one-on-one with the keeper while, at the other end, Watmough’s header at the far post was cleared off the line by Valery.
With Wednesday making attacking substitutions and losing Iorfa through injury, we were further exposed at the back, and it was the home side who grabbed the vital fourth goal of the game 11 minutes from time.
Beadle pushed out a fierce shot from Greenwood, then blocked the rebound effort from Riis before the attacker turned the ball home to ensure all three points for Preston.
Beadle, Valentin, Valery (Ingelsson 77), Iorfa (McNeill 77), M Lowe, Johnson, Chalobah (Gassama 46), S Charles, Bannan, Windass (J Lowe 83), Smith (Ugbo 67). Unused subs: P Charles, Palmer, Otegbayo, Paterson.