Wednesday turned in a shocker of a home display and went down 2-0 to Barnsley in the derby clash at Hillsborough this afternoon.
We never looked like scoring in a performance lacking tempo, intensity, creativity and the will-to-win and the defeat sees us slip back to fourth place on 13 points, four behind joint leaders Ipswich and Portsmouth.
It took us 81 minutes to muster a clear attempt on target against a Barnsley side who looked sharper, hungrier and more determined and ran out deserved winners.
The visitors posed problems for the Owls from early in the game, Liam Kitching firing across goal and wide and then Devante Cole going close with an effort from the edge of the box.
Our first shot of any note came midway through the half when a George Byers volley looked goalbound but hit Liam Palmer and diverted off target.
However, it was no surprise when Barnsley took the lead on 33 minutes, sloppy defending allowing Cole to break free in the box before shooting across David Stockdale and into the far corner of the net.
Lee Gregory missed a chance soon after the interval when he was unable to control a through ball and allowed keeper Bradley Collins to save.
Then Stockdale almost gifted Barnsley a second, his poor pass out from the back going straight to Luke Thomas and the Barnsley man’s 25-yarder coming back off the bar.
Gregory again could have done better on the hour when he latched onto Tyreeq Bakinson’s pass into the penalty area but he failed to connect properly and Collins saved easily.
At the other end, Stockdale kept out a Jack Aitchison effort and George Byers blocked from the rebound before Barnsley doubled their lead 15 minutes from time when James Norwood was left unmarked to head home from a corner.
Wednesday’s only response was that first real effort on goal nine minutes before the end, keeper Collins pushing away a Michael Smith header from a Bannan free kick as we slipped to a hugely disappointing defeat and saw our 14-match unbeaten home run ended at the same time.
Stockdale, Palmer, Iorfa, Ihiekwe, McGuinness (James 64), Johnson (Smith (70), Bakinson (Mighten 64), Byers, Bannan, Windass (Wilks 64), Gregory. Unused subs: Dawson, Vaulks, Paterson. Att: 27,939.