The visitors were quick to make their intentions clear when after barely 2mins, good link-up play between Joe Mattock & Chris O'Grady releases Nejc Pecnik who shapes to take a shot - only for a last ditch tackle by a Burnley defender. Not to be undone, the home side have the next attack and Charlie Austin sees his driven shot blocked by Jermaine Johnson (again playing right-back in an unchanged Wednesday line-up). Only a minute later Burnley have claims of a penalty waved away as Johnson gets away with a tackle on Junior Stanislas after he attacked with Austin at pace. The end to end start makes it a breathtaking spectacle and Wednesday force an early corner when Johnson sees his run halted by a Michael Duff tackle, after beating Stanislas out wide. The corner is wasted by Pecnik who overhits the ball in. The best chance of the opening exchanges falls to Michail Antonio on the 11th minute when his skilful turn in the box (via his chest) and half volleyed drive flies over the bar. Martin Paterson then manages to get clear of Jose Semedo and fires a warning shot just wide - causing panic in the Wednesday back line. Former Owls favourite, Lee Grant is forced into a save when Mattock squeezes a cross in to O'Grady, unable to fire a shot it squirms to Jay Bothroyd and Grant dives on the ball before Bothroyd can pounce. Just as Wednesday are applying all the pressure, the in-form Austin heads a perfectly flighted cross by Kieran Trippier past Chris Kirkland and Burnley have the lead on 21mins. Barely a minute later and the away fans are the ones celebrating as a cross from Antonio is planted on the head of O'Grady and the striker glances it home to equalise. From the kick-off Burnley then almost take the lead again as Austin fires inches wide! Grant is relieved to see his side-netting rippling minutes later, after Ross Barkley rounds him and the acute angle forces the shot wide. Far from being intimidated by the Owls pressure, Burnley look to attack themselves and a looping cross by Dean Marney to Stanislas sees Johnson tackle perfectly & knock out for a throw. The next attack sees Marney run into Semedo and the Portuguese midfielder comes away with the ball, much to the admiration of the travelling fans who quickly start chanting 'Hes magic, you know - you'll never get passed Semedo!'. Burnley are pressing now as a diving header from Anthony Gardner and a towering header by captain Martin Taylor sees away a flurry of crosses, then Kirkland is relieved to see Austin fire a vicious shot well wide. A tidy piece of play in the middle of the field results in Trippier lobbing a cross in that Johnson misjudges, leaving Burnley striker Austin to head his 2nd of the game on the 37th min. The Clarets almost grab a third when Canadian defender, David Edgar has his goal-ward header cleared & Austin sees a header inch just wide.
Half Time.
Wow what a 45mins of football! Owls unlucky to be 2-1 down but frailties at the back yet again proving costly. A Cadburys Fudge hot chocolate & KitKat make today's HT snack.
Wednesday make a halftime sub which sees Pecnik, who is still adjusting to English football, replaced by Rhys McCabe. Only 2mins into the second half & Wednesday are caught napping by a quick corner taken short, seeing the hattrick-in-waiting Austin head fractions wide (what a signing this man is for Burnley, fantastic player!). Ex-Owl Grant makes a fine save to deny Bothroyd a 1st league goal for Wednesday after O'Grady created the chance with excellent hold-up play. Bothroyd is doing a lot of running now his fitness is improving and endearing himself to the travelling Wednesayites, who promptly chant his name. Not for the first time this game, Antonio beats a defender on a trademark run, only to be dragged back with his shirt - no free kick given much to the wingers dismay. Just before the hour mark Burnley force a corner via a JJ slice and the Owls are caught napping again - only a Kirkland save denies Burnley a 3rd. Sloppy passing and frustrated tackling follows for the Owls and Burnley up the tempo. As Wednesday force a corner from an Antonio cross, the momentum is balancing again, a good delivery by Barkley is forced away by Grant. Only a minute later, the 63rd minute brings the 4th goal of the match when a brilliant through-ball by Bothroyd sees O'Grady round Grant and poke into the empty net just before the defender can clear, 2-2! Great composure by O'Grady for his 5th of the season. Wednesday are on top now in terms of possession and chances, culminating in a arrowed Antonio shot flying wide. Everton loanee, Barkley embarks on an adventurous run and only a foul by Marney stops the dangerous break, earning the Burnley man a yellow card. 'Wednesday til I Die' echoes around Turf Moor. The ever-increasingly dangerous Austin, beats JJ at the corner quadrant and only the legs of Kirkland keep the striker from bagging a third as he drives into the box. The keeper at the other end is then called into action, when a flick on from O'Grady sees McCabes shot blocked by Duff and the ball is ricocheted to Antonio - who can't react quick enough to create a worthwhile shot. In the 79th minute the Clarets force a free kick but it is quickly cleared by JJ and Wednesday clear their lines. 2mins later, O'Gradys chance of a hattrick is taken when he is subbed for Gary Madine. The man left on the field that can grab a hattrick does just that in the 83rd minute - Austin scores his best of the night as he easily turns Taylor and rifles in a driven shot from 18 yards out. By conceding so late in the game, fans would expect Wednesday to collapse - but far from doing that they score a minute later! An absolutely unstoppable 25 yard cracker flies off Antonios right foot into Grants top corner for the goal of the game. Wednesday push for a winner and chances go begging for Barkley and Bothroyd - then a quick counter by Burnley have Wednesday hearts in mouths. Junior Stanislas beats Gardner and fires an effort across the Owls goal mouth, fortunately for the away side, nobody was there to finish the move and the game.
Full Time.... What a match!!
Attendance: 12,122
Owls Man of the Match: O'Grady (ran his socks off with Bothroyd and his hold-up play & 2 goals were of a man desperate to take his chance & claim a starting line-up spot).
No comments:
Post a Comment