Wednesday were held to a goalless draw after creating the majority of the chances against play-off chasing Watford at Hillsborough tonight.
We remain one off the bottom of the Championship table, two points behind QPR and trailing Huddersfield by five points ahead of Saturday’s ‘six-pointer’ at the John Smith’s Stadium.
The Owls created more chances than the visitors this evening but managed only five efforts on target from 19 shots and found Watford keeper Ben Hamer in fine form.
Barry Bannan produced our first moment of danger on 14 minutes, bringing a diving save out of Hamer with a 25-yarder and Di’Shon Bernard headed wide soon afterwards when well placed.
With Wednesday enjoying a good spell of pressure, there were appeals for a penalty when Anthony Musaba went down in the box from a challenge by Jamal Lewis.
However, the visitors looked lively in possession and hit back with two let-offs for Wednesday in the space of seven minutes.
On the half-hour mark, Matheus Martins saw his free kick deflect off Akin Famewo and onto the inside of the post, before Wednesday cleared to safety with keeper James Beadle beaten.
Then poor defending allowed Watford to break forward but when the ball found Martins unmarked at the far post he sliced the ball wide of an open goal.
Wednesday finished the half with our best opening of the first 45, Ike Ugbo shooting across Hamer, only to see the ball come back off the post, the keeper also producing an excellent stop to keep out Musaba’s header from the rebound.
Watford were close to opening the scoring on the hour when Yaser Asprilla dispossessed Pol Valentin in the penalty area but Beadle rescued the situation when he saved with his foot.
Wednesday had failed to create much in the opening exchanges of the second half but thought they had taken the lead on 64 minutes when Bernard connected with Bannan’s free kick but Hamer saved, with players and fans appealing that the ball had crossed the line.
We almost clinched victory in the last minute of normal time, Musaba’s twisting run ending with an excellent shot that was turned over the bar by Hamer.
Then, in added time, Mallik Wilks dragged his shot wide from inside the box and we had to settle for a point rather than three.
Beadle, Valentin, Bernard, Famewo, Johnson, Bannan (M Diaby 86), Palmer, Gassama (Wilks 90), Musaba, Windass (Smith 46), Ugbo (Cadamarteri 71). Unused subs: Charles, James, Ihiekwe, Siqueira, Vaulks. Att: 22,303.