nPower Championship: Wolverhampton Wanderers

Returning to league football after a brief FA Cup appearance, Sheffield Wednesday face Wolverhampton Wanderers at Hillsborough, hoping to build on their last Championship game - an away victory at Hull. Wolves come to a snowy Sheffield having only picked up 4pts out of an available 15 in their last 5 games whilst the Owls are on an upturn of form, having earned 10pts in the same amount of fixtures. Both clubs crashed out of the FA Cup (to MK Dons & Luton Town) and will look to this match as a platform to move up the league.




The game gets underway and it's the visitors on the front foot, barely 30 seconds into the match and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake has an effort from just inside the area that flies over the crossbar. That sets the pace and just a minute later Jermaine Johnson finds shooting space after a good run through midfield but his shot goes wide of the post. Carl Ikeme, the Wolves goalkeeper, is forced into action on the 8th minute - David Davies fouls Jeremy Hélan and Giles Cokes free-kick is met by the keeper just before a Wednesday head makes contact. A long hopeful ball upfield releases Kevin Doyle and a mixture of good defending by Anthony Gardner and then the linesman's offside flag denies a Wolves opportunity. After 12mins the Owls have another attempt at goal, a 30 yard curling effort with the outside of the boot by the ever-improving Kieran Lee that goes wide. After a period of scrappy play full of needless free kicks and misplaced passes, J.Johnson tries to catch Ikeme off guard with a long range effort that again goes wide. The games best chance so far comes minutes later and again it's a Wednesday effort - Michail Antonio rifling a shot that the sprawling Ikeme saves brilliantly to keep the scores level. The resulting corner by Miguel Llera is claimed by the keeper. As the foul count increases, Antonio breaks into the box and finds himself 1-on-1 but finds Ikeme in solid form. The Owls are firmly on top of this one sided encounter now and J.Johnson jinks past a lacklustre tackle and shoots from the edge of the box but sees Ikeme dive low and keep the ball out. The home fans are full of noise as they encourage their team seeing a good dominant display again. When Wolves fail to capitalise on a Kevin Foley cross, Wednesday break and attack - a good Antonio run wasted by his overhit cross that gets cleared by Roger Johnson. The away side concede some cheap fouls as play gets interrupted and momentum stops but 3 quick-succession corners by Coke has them battening down the hatches and defending at all costs. On the 35th minute the referee shows the first yellow card and Ebanks-Blake receives the caution for a foul on Reda Johnson. After more Wednesday pressure, a Hélan cross is not dealt with well and Llera gets the second header that Ikeme dives on and prevents it crossing the line. A neat flick up in the box and a lashing half-volley by Antonio goes inches wide in another let off as Wolves cannot come to terms with Wednesdays attacking play. 39mins in and the match is turning into shooting practice for the home side, Coke fires harmlessly over - then Lee fires just wide following brilliant football by J.Johnson. Just 2mins later and Chris Kirkland has a touch of the ball, R.Johnson fouls Ebanks-Blake and Bakary Sako's free kick is claimed. The former France U21 player is becoming Wolves main threat in the closing stages - his dangerous cross gets cut out by Llera and then he sees his corner dealt with by David Prutton. The half closes with yet another Ebanks-Blake foul and a Buxton cross claimed by Ikeme.

HT. SWFC haven't beaten WWFC at Hillsborough since 1964 but with the way that half went, that stat should be changing! My only concern is that we aren't taking the chances and Wolves may catch us out. The overall play has been good and we seem to have turned a corner. My half time snack is a large coffee and a Prawn Cocktail crisp sandwich as I sympathise with the fans at Hillsborough!

Wednesday kick off the second half and it's not long before Ebanks-Blake is again penalised for a free kick, frustration apparent on the former Manchester United player. On a rare forage forward, Wolves again have the flag raised against them as Foley tried to escape the back line. Only 4mins into the second half and Ebanks-Blake fouls Llera and how a second yellow isn't shown dumbfounds the Owls. The 50th minute sees yet another Wednesday free-kick when Roger Johnson fouls his namesake (Reda). Llera tries his luck but no advantage is gained. David Davies sees yellow for Wolves minutes later as Wolves struggle to deal with the Owls. Antonio is a constant threat and when he chases a long ball forward, he wriggles past his marker but the ball is cut out as he shapes to shoot. The game turns scrappy again and in an attempt to change the flow, Wolves replace Davies with Jamie O'Hara just before J.Johnson sees yellow for a foul on Stephen Ward. When Gardner clears an Ebanks-Blake cross, the Owls counter and Antonio blazes his shot over the bar as chance after chance goes begging. After a few wayward crosses by the home team, wolves force a corner and Sako again finds nobody but Kirkland. Two big penalty claims are waves away as Wednesday have a shot seemingly blocked by a hand before R.Johnson is pushed by a Wolves defender. The energetic Antonio takes matters into his own hands when he breaks from the Owls area, sprinting upfield with the ball to the Wolves box and squares the ball to Hélan who smashes the ball just wide! The crowd is really behind the Owls now and Hillsborough is in fine voice. Sensing another card on the next foul for Ebanks-Blake, new manager Dean Saunders replaces the forward with 19 year old Jake Cassidy. Bakary Sako is then replaced by Slawomir Peszko and J.Johnson makes way for Gary Madine. Now in the 84th minute and Kevin Doyle is restricted to a long range effort that flies over the bar. The match has had chances galore for Wednesday and when Antonio's deep cross is headed wide by Madine and then Hélan flashes a shot across the face of goal this game seems destined to end goalless. Wolves look to fashion one last chance in the 90th minute but O'Hara wastes the corner and the referee blows the full time whistle following a Madine foul on Stephen Ward high up the field.

FT. Just how that ended 0-0 is anyone's guess! It feels like 2 points dropped as Wolves had no chances on target and were woeful throughout - but what does it say about Wednesday if they can't beat such a poor opponent? This new formation is working well but a finisher is required desperately to progress.

Attendance: 21,142
Owls Man of the Match: Lee (energetic, a threat advancing and good defensive covering. Improving with each match)