Today's game finished in a draw and the same scoreline as the corresponding fixture last year. Both sets of supporters probably left happily enough although, for me, this was two points lost.
Wednesday gave us more space in midfield than any other side this season. Buyens and Jackson couldn't believe it but with only Moussa and Cousins out wide we failed to capitalise. That and we were forced to start with Cumbersome George and 17 year old Karlan Ahearne-Grant up front.
Wednesday looked sound enough across the back four and better going forward although I was pleasantly disappointed with Stevie May who seemed out-of-his-depth against the Beast and Tal Ben Haim. That said, Wednesday showed first and tellingly, it was Royston Drenthe who served notice first with a burst of pace inside and a driven low shot that squirmed wide of the far post.
We were making good use of our midfield possession and were pushing the Owls back when we got forward but it was hard to see where the goal was coming from. After 27 minutes, Drenthe struck. A similar sweep in from the right and he teed himself up for another low drive which curled away from Henderson and inside the right hand post.
We huffed and puffed after that and again after the break but it was pretty clear we needed a change of personnel to affect the game. With Vetokele, Gudmundsson and Wilson on the bench it was only a matter of time. JBH started the second-half in place of Ahearne-Grant and whilst he added some incisiveness to our forward play it was Igor Vetekole we needed to change the game. Five minutes after coming on he was in step with Rhoys Wiggins who took a trademark barrelling run into the box past two yellow shirts before sliding the ball across for Igor to squirt home. For five minutes we were hot and Igor was played in again and he maintained his distance to close in on Kieran Westwood but his shot didn't have enough angle to beat the keeper and it missed the near post.
After that we seemed to compose ourselves for fifteen minutes which broke the momentum and allowed Wednesday to sniff the point. It should have been killed off but we left our charge too late and just short of enough quality to win it. Wilson came on for the finish but was probably five minutes short of really getting into the match.
Chris Solly was excellent today and looked particularly impressive in the second-half in front of the Wednesdayites. Bikey and Ben Haim were immense as usual and Wiggins put in a shift. The midfield was better but Cousins didn't contribute enough and was naive on occasions. Buyens swept up in front of the back four and once again it was Moussa who made the lightest contribution. Ahearne-Grant's confidence will soar with a goal but he still so much to learn. Tucudean can't be faulted for lack of effort but his first touch is poor and he is a luxury in this division.
A point's a a point as they say and we remain unbeaten at home which is important. Leeds away on Tuesday is winnable but we will need to battle Neil Redfearn's troops before we head to Reading where we can expect an even sterner test.
Wednesday gave us more space in midfield than any other side this season. Buyens and Jackson couldn't believe it but with only Moussa and Cousins out wide we failed to capitalise. That and we were forced to start with Cumbersome George and 17 year old Karlan Ahearne-Grant up front.
Wednesday looked sound enough across the back four and better going forward although I was pleasantly disappointed with Stevie May who seemed out-of-his-depth against the Beast and Tal Ben Haim. That said, Wednesday showed first and tellingly, it was Royston Drenthe who served notice first with a burst of pace inside and a driven low shot that squirmed wide of the far post.
We were making good use of our midfield possession and were pushing the Owls back when we got forward but it was hard to see where the goal was coming from. After 27 minutes, Drenthe struck. A similar sweep in from the right and he teed himself up for another low drive which curled away from Henderson and inside the right hand post.
We huffed and puffed after that and again after the break but it was pretty clear we needed a change of personnel to affect the game. With Vetokele, Gudmundsson and Wilson on the bench it was only a matter of time. JBH started the second-half in place of Ahearne-Grant and whilst he added some incisiveness to our forward play it was Igor Vetekole we needed to change the game. Five minutes after coming on he was in step with Rhoys Wiggins who took a trademark barrelling run into the box past two yellow shirts before sliding the ball across for Igor to squirt home. For five minutes we were hot and Igor was played in again and he maintained his distance to close in on Kieran Westwood but his shot didn't have enough angle to beat the keeper and it missed the near post.
After that we seemed to compose ourselves for fifteen minutes which broke the momentum and allowed Wednesday to sniff the point. It should have been killed off but we left our charge too late and just short of enough quality to win it. Wilson came on for the finish but was probably five minutes short of really getting into the match.
Chris Solly was excellent today and looked particularly impressive in the second-half in front of the Wednesdayites. Bikey and Ben Haim were immense as usual and Wiggins put in a shift. The midfield was better but Cousins didn't contribute enough and was naive on occasions. Buyens swept up in front of the back four and once again it was Moussa who made the lightest contribution. Ahearne-Grant's confidence will soar with a goal but he still so much to learn. Tucudean can't be faulted for lack of effort but his first touch is poor and he is a luxury in this division.
A point's a a point as they say and we remain unbeaten at home which is important. Leeds away on Tuesday is winnable but we will need to battle Neil Redfearn's troops before we head to Reading where we can expect an even sterner test.
Stevie May did not play , so get your facts right before you express disappointment with anybody's performance !!!
ReplyDeleteStevie May did not play today , so how can you criticise his performance - gets your facts right !!!
ReplyDeleteMay didn't play. He was an unused sub!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the correction. I wrongly assumed that the long hair and striking role was his and that he had ditched the beard. He didn't look anything like the player I have been told he was and that explains it.
ReplyDelete