Promotion chasing Crystal Palace visit Hillsborough knowing that 3 points against a team battling hard against relegation, would make huge strides towards a return to the Premier League. The Owls have started looking over their shoulder as the trapdoor to League One creaks open and a resurgent Barnsley embarking an upturn of fortunes keep Wednesday firmly in the mix. A point here for The Owls would be a positive result.
The Eagles get the match underway but when Wednesday earn the ball back, Michail Antonio is fouled by Ashley Richards within 90 seconds of the opening whistle. The direct free kick is shot at goal by Lewis Buxton but flies over the crossbar. Only 3mins later and another shot by Wednesday, this time from David Prutton following a pass from Danny Pugh - clears the bar again as the home side start brightly. Crystal Palace look nervy in the opening exchanges and after 8mins Giles Coke does well to swing a cross in to Leroy Lita but his chest control comes to nothing. Republic of Ireland international defender Damian Delaney twice comes to Palace's rescue when he first clears a dangerous Antonio cross and then blocks a goal-ward shot by Prutton 4mins later. With Wednesday firmly on top Lita advances towards goal but is fouled by Richards and the Owls fail to capitalise with Pugh's free-kick. In a rare forage forward, Delaney sees his cross cleared by Coke and within minutes a cross by Kieran Lee finds Lita who fires straight at Julian Speroni in the Palace goal. Minutes after being fouled by Yannick Bolasie, Antonio puts another pinpoint cross into the box and Lee sees his volley at the back post blocked by Peter Ramage. As Wednesday look to get another shot away the momentum is stopped when Pugh fouls Jonathan Williams. After 33mins Crystal Palace see a good looking attack halted by the linesman's flag against Glenn Murray. When Williams is fouled by Prutton, the Eagles push upfield and Stephen Dobbi twice sees an effort at goal blocked - first by Coke and then seconds later by the solid Miguel Llera. The half comes to a close after both sides concede free-kicks that don't amount to anything. 
HT. A very good half for the home team, dominating the game and making the promotion chasing visitors look very ordinary and without the threat of Wilfried Zaha, it seems Palace lack the confidence to charge at Wednesday. The Owls very own wing wizard (with more assists and goals than the new Manchester United signing) has been putting dangerous and more importantly accurate crosses into the box and if that continues a goal will come. Half-time snack is a Dr Pepper & a Topic getting me ready for the 2nd half. Sheffield Wednesday get the second half underway but its Ian Holloway's men who have renewed vigour - forcing 3 corners in quick succession, all taken by Dobbie and all dealt with by the Owls defence. 5mins in and Dobbie fires a shot at goal that Anthony Gardner blocks, the short corner routine fails and Wednesday come away with ball. On the 52nd minute Palace see Kagisho Dikgacoi fire wide right of the target as they push for the opening goal. Dave Jones makes his first change in the 55th minute when Connor Wickham is replaced by Gary Madine and when Bolasie sees his shot blocked by Pugh and a Palace free-kick come to nothing, Lee is replaced by Jeremy Hélan. Dobbie is growing into the game as it goes on and the Brighton loanee sees Llera block his shot before Garnder clears his corner in the 63rd min as Crystal Palace look to get their promotion push back on track. Miguel Llera seems to have cut out the sloppy mistakes of late and the Spaniard does well to block a Murray shot at goal before Williams makes way for Kevin Phillips - a man that can't help but score against the Owls. Just a minute later and his strike partner sees the games first yellow card when Murray is booked for fouling Coke. When Wednesday don't take advantage of a free-kick awarded for a masked Mile Jedinak foul on Madine, Palace counter and Chris Kirkland is forced into a good save to deny Bolasie and then reacting quickly before Murray can pounce. The second yellow card of the game is shown the Wednesday's Gardner for handball with 15mins left and 3mins later Prutton is also shown yellow for fouling Phillips. As the home crowd encourage their team, crosses by Hélan and then Antonio are cut out before another Antonio cross is met by Lita who powers his header past Speroni under pressure by 2 defenders to give the Owls the lead. The yellow card is flashed to the loanee hitman after his celebration of removing his shirt. In the aftermath of the goal, the assist from Antonio's chipped cross for Lita comes as his last contribution as he makes way for Jermaine Johnson. After 2 wasted Wednesday corners Palace make 2 swaps with Aaron Wilbraham replacing Dobbie and Jacob Butterfield coming on for Jonathan Parr. Into injury time and goal scorer Lita almost adds to his tally when working into a one-on-one but Speroni comes out on top this time. When Llera clears a Bolasie cross Butterfield lashes a shot goal-ward but finds Prutton in his way. The final action of the game sees Jedinak booked for a foul on J.Johnson and shown the yellow card.
FT. What a massive 3 points!! A well deserved win - dominated the 1st half and stood solid for the second. Palace didn't look like a promotion chasing side compared to Wednesday but I'm sure they'll do we'll over the remaining weeks. With Barnsley being hammered at Bristol City, the 3 points earned today make a big difference in our own fight for survival - now unbeaten in 7. Attendance: 23,475
Owls Man of the Match: Llera / Gardner
No comments:
Post a Comment