Milburn’s Send in the Boys played out from the Hillsborough speakers in the build-up to kick off, which seemed apt considering the fact that most of those taking the field in Wednesday colours were aged 21 or under. The bench was made up entirely of teenagers.

Such is the nature of the Owls’ injury crisis at the minute that they were always going to struggle to meet the quota of that had either start the amount of ‘qualifying players’ needed to avoid a fine of £5,000. Only Sean Fusire and Gabriel Otegbayo met the criteria, so unless two of tonight’s XI start against Plymouth Argyle there will be questions asked as per the EFL Trophy’s rules and regulations. It is understood, however, that there is room for mitigation and Wednesday can argue their case considering the raft of players actively unavailable.

With that in mind there were 11 changes to the starting XI from the one that took on Oldham Athletic over the weekend, with Connal Trueman between the sticks, Cole McGhee and George Brown making their return from injury, and a vast array of other youngsters all getting the nod from Dave Challinor. Fusire wore the captain’s armband, with Ernie Weaver the other player with proper first-team experience under his belt.

Elsewhere, the likes of Joel Akpobi, Denny Oliver, Louis Poland, Fortune Onoh and Sam Duruh were all given the green light to play despite being on loan at clubs further down the pyramid. It’s something that’s allowed in this competition.

In contrast, Accrington had a 39-year-old starting for them, a 38-year-old captain, and a player with over 250 English Football League appearances under his belt in their midfield. It was going to be a test for the young Middlewood Road graduates.

The opening stages weren’t exactly full of chances, but Denny Oliver went close from a free kick and the visitors fired just wide as Seamus Conneely went close. Probably the best opportunity fell the way of Fusire, but the defender did just enough to make sure he couldn’t hit the target after the ball fell to him at close range. Trueman, at the other end, was up to the challenge as Tom Moore and Alex Henderson got a couple of shots off.

Wednesday’s goalkeeper made the best of his saves as half-time approached, scrambling across his goal and diving to his left to keep out Shaun Whalley. Accy weren’t to be denied, though, and after Conneely hit the crossbar Josh Smith was on hand to fire past Trueman to make it 1-0.

To make matters worse, moments later it was two. This strike was a fine one, however, with Charlie Brown drilling an excellently struck effort into the inside of the far post to double the Reds’ lead with what was the final meaningful moment of the opening 45.

Challinor made just one change at the break, bringing on James Kay for his senior debut after Brown had run his race. It was a big moment for the midfielder, making his first-team bow days after celebrating his 18th birthday, and weeks after a long-awaited return from injury following foot surgery back in July.

Things did improve after the break, and Akpobi was managing to cause a few problems with some fast footwork down the left, but there was no real troubling of James Rogerson. John Doolan’s side still looked a threat, though, and Otegbayo had to make a good block on the hour as they pushed for a third.

Soon came the changes. Akpobi went off for Charlie Liddell, Duruh made way for Fortune Onoh, and McGhee was replaced by Kailen Hatfield… It was debuts for all three of them. Another came not long afterwards, albeit forced due to injury, with Kleven De Oliveira getting his first taste of senior football as he replaced Poland.

Ronan Darcy went close to making it 3-0 as we entered the final 15 minutes, before Liddell and Oliver almost got on the scoresheet at the other end. Rogerson was up to the challenge on both occasions, with this second save a particularly good one to keep out Wednesday’s number 38 and stop the hosts getting a foothold back in the game.

And there was to be no comeback. With five left to play, Charlie Warren made sure of that as Accrington capitalised on some loose Owls defending before sliding it past Trueman in goal. 3-0, and that would be that.

Seven minutes were added at the end of the 90, which felt unnecessary for the 5,472 watching, but it did give the visiting side a chance to get another goal. This one was scored by Charlie Caton, and was the final big moment of the tie. The result means that Wednesday finish second in their group, progressing into the Round of 32 where they’ll face one of the group winners from the Northern Section of the competition.

It wasn’t a clash to remember for those watching on, but for the youngsters out there it could prove to be a huge moment in their blossoming careers, and they’ll have learned plenty from it. Onto Plymouth Argyle at the weekend.

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Challinor rang the changes in his first game in charge as Owls boss, with Di’Shon Bernard returning after injury, and Ricardo Santos starting alongside him. Jordi Liongola was able to make his first outing since coming back from his lay-off, while Mason Burstow missed out - it’s believed with an injury niggle. Jamal Lowe started up top.

It wasn’t a pretty encounter, and the home side were the better of the two in the opening exchanges. Wednesday weren’t really able to get going, and they weren’t helped by the fact that Ashley Maynard-Brewer was forced off after a collision with Mike Fondop. Connal Trueman came on to replace him.

As we’ve seen so often, the Owls weren’t short on possession, but were short on chances. They barely created anything in the opening stanza, and when the half time whistle came it was the hosts who were well up on the shot count - Wednesday had only had the one.

The second half had more to it, but Wednesday still weren’t really at the races. The breakthrough came just after the hour mark, with Calum Kavanagh finding himself with the freedom of the away box before firing past Trueman from close range. 1-0 to the home side.

Five minutes later the new Owls boss delved into his bench, bringing Max Lowe, Sean Fusire and Kieran Morrison into the mix, with the trio taking over from Liam Palmer, Liongola and Santos as he sought a response.

It worked, and Oldham didn’t lead for long. On the 76th minute the first goal of the Challinor era was scored. Davis Keillor-Dunn was the one who scored it, finding the net against his former side after being found by Sean Fusire. It was a nice turn and finish from the Owls loanee to level things up.

The goal changed momentum, and Wednesday really seemed to be turning the screw. They dominated possession, and things were starting to get a bit heated. Oldham’s Micky Mellon was sent to the stands after some argy-bargy with Callum Slatery, while the Owls midfielder joined Bernard and Valery in the book. Fusire followed them not long after.

There was to be no winner, not in normal time anyway… Half time in extra time came and went, and Challinor looked to some youthful exuberance. Will Grainger and Ernie Weaver were introduced, with Jamal Lowe and Valery making way…

Then came the winner, largely against the run of play, and it was one that the Wednesday defence won’t want to look back on. It was a messy scramble in the box, the Owls couldn’t clear it, and when Trueman couldn’t connect with his punch the ball found Will Sutton’s head for him to knock it into the back of the net.

Wednesday lost their footing after that, and never really threatened again. Oldham were good value for their victory in the end, and Challinor will be fully aware of the work that needs to be done going forward. 2-1 it ended - one to forget.

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The excitement of Sunday after got underway long before the clash kicked off, with a morning announcement from the Owls confirming that Challinor has been appointed as Henrik Pedersen’s successor at Hillsborough.

He was in the stands watching on, all smiles, as we wait for another new era to begin at this football club of ours, watching on as an excellently observed Last Post played out as a huge poppy design was held aloft by the North Stand crowd opposite him. Lest we forget.

While the Challinor’s announcement was a bit of good news for Wednesdayites, there was some bad news that followed not long afterwards. Matt Hamshaw had alluded to some injury concerns, and when the XI was named it became clear who he was referring to as Reece James, Billy Mitchell, Ali Al-Hamadi and Liam Cooper all missed out on the squad. There was, however, a return for Jordi Liongola who took his place on the bench.

Hamshaw opted for a back five, potentially because of the absentees, with Liam Palmer and Sil Swinkels joining Ernie Weaver as Max Lowe and Yan Valery took their place as wingbacks. Jaden Heskey joined the midfield, and Mason Burstow led the line.

It took a while for Wednesday to find their feet, but they looked a threat when they did. Davis Keillor-Dunn had a couple of shots blocked, and Mason Burstow saw a headed effort go wide of the mark. Weaver made a strong block at the other end, and the Owls were in the ascendancy.

Then came the deadlock-breaker… Keillor-Dunn did well to win back a loose ball in the middle of the park, before driving at a Tangerines backline that seemed to be giving him all the space in the world. He picked his spot and drove it low past former Owl, Bailey Peacock-Farrell, sending the Kop into delirium. 1-0 Wednesday.

Hamshaw’s men were bossing possession, and pushing for a second… But then, out of nowhere, the tide turned. A lofted ball over the top caught Wednesday napping, and Swinkels couldn’t get ahead of Tom Bloxham, clumsily bringing him down as the last man and being given his marching orders. Not the return to the starting XI that he’ll have wanted, and Challinor was seen scribbling a few notes into a notebook.

The visitors got on the ball a bit more in the final five minutes or so, but Wednesday held firm. A couple of scrambles in the Owls box were dealt with, and Ashley Maynard-Brewer was up to every challenge when called upon.

Half time came and went, and Hamshaw opted not to change things up, sticking with the reversion to a back four that he made after Swinkels’ dismissal rather than bringing any fresh legs in.

Blackpool started the second half as they finished the first, and Wednesday couldn’t really find their feet… Blocks from Weaver and Barry Bannan stopped any chance of an early equaliser, and they got away with one after Hayden Coulson found some space in the box only to skew his shot wide of the mark.

They were under the cosh, but the hosts did come close to getting a second as the hour-mark approached. A mazy little run from DKD resulted in a cracking strike from the attacker, but Peacock-Farrell was on hand to make an equally good save.

Barring a handful of long-range efforts trying to catch Peacock-Farrell off his line, it was Ian Evatt’s side who were looking the most likely to get the best goal. Ex-Owl, Jerry Yates, was one of those introduced for the visitors, but they weren’t able to force any real saves out of AMB.

To his credit, Burstow was leading the line as well as he could under the circumstances, and probably should have had a foul on the edge of the box after being completely wiped out by Oliver Casey. Nothing given.

Ricardo Santos was introduced with just over 10 minutes left as Hamshaw looked to try and see things out, with the goalscorer making way after another good shift. Sadly, it didn’t work.

Seconds after coming on, the defender could only watch as a deep cross went over his head towards Yates - he got the better of Weaver and saw his poked effort creep under Maynard-Brewer. You couldn’t say it hadn’t been coming.

Tempers flared as we approached the final whistle, and Palmer had to intervene as Bannan and Josh Bowler clashed. The latter two were both booked for their troubles.

After a number of efforts from his teammates, Burstow thought he’d be the one to finally catch the Blackpool ‘keeper from way out, but he managed to track back quick enough to tip it wide… It was going in, too. Kieran Morrison came on to replace him shortly afterwards, with Max Lowe also replaced - by Harry Gray.

In the end it finished all square, which was probably about right, but boos rang around Hillsborough as the officials left the field - there’s no doubt that the red card changed things. Hamshaw will leave his post as interim both unbeaten and winless, but a new dawn begins tomorrow.

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And so begins another new era at Hillsborough. After post-Chansiri, we now have post-Pedersen, and the football machine whirs on - a successor shouldn’t be far away. Wednesday were up against a Cambridge side that have started the season strongly, and the hosts were going to need to be much better than they’d shown in the final two games of the previous manager’s tenure.

Matt Hamshaw led from the bench, more than two decades after he left the club as a player, and rang the changes in search of a return to winning ways. Liam Cooper dropped out completely for some much-needed rest, and Ernie Weaver was handed a starting berth alongside Max Lowe in central defence. Callum Slattery returned after suspension, Harry was back in the mix, and Reece James started at left back.

Elsewhere, Jaden Heskey missed out, Mason Burstow led the line, and an injury to young Jack Phillips saw 17-year-old Wednesdayite, Olly Bramhall, formed part of the three matchday goalkeepers for the first time… A big night for the talented shot-stopper.

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The Balls Are Out Discount

There have been calls for Weaver to get his chance for a number of weeks now, and the youngster didn’t waste any time to make his mark. Minutes into the game he cleared one off the line – celebrating loudly afterwards – and over the course of the first half he never seemed to be too far away from the action as he threw himself into blocks and aerial duels.

To their credit, Cambridge had the better of the early stages, and probably should’ve led. Ben Knight saw an effort bobble wide of the mark, and Liam Bennett went close as well. Some brave goalkeeping from Ashley Maynard-Brewer did the trick between the sticks.

The tide did turn, though, and Wednesday grew into things as the game progressed. Slattery saw a thumped effort parried away, and James - who was having loads of joy down the left – had his strike saved by Jake Eastwood. Gray’s quick feet were causing plenty of trouble on the other side, but the U’s defended well for the most part and it was probably fair that the two sides were level at the break. 0-0.

There were no changes for the second stanza, and the Owls started brightly… It took them just five minutes to take the lead, and they did it in emphatic fashion.

Slattery won a foul and spotted Burstow’s perfect run, taking the free kick quickly with a lovely curling ball over the top and into the path of the striker. He still had work to do, but brilliantly shrugged off his marker before firing a thumping effort into the back of the net via the post. He won’t catch many better than that.

He could’ve had a second not long afterwards, too, as the ball dropped to him in the six-yard box somewhat fortuitously and he thought he’d made it 2-0… The Owls loanee couldn’t quite believe it as Eastwood somehow turned it over the bar.

Moments change games, they say, and that save was one of them. The visitors had responded well to going behind, with James going into the book after bringing one break to an abrupt end, but it wasn’t going to be their last attack.

Minutes later it happened again, and this time the Owls couldn’t handle it. Shayne Lavery drove at the home side before sliding it into Sullay Kaikai, and the substitute pulled off an excellent finish of his own to level things up.

Hamshaw stuck to his guns, and was almost rewarded as Bannan went incredibly close to regaining the lead, only to see his lovely curling effort bounce back off the post. Kieran Morrison replaced Gray not long afterwards.

Wednesday weren’t the only team pushing for a winner, however, and Cambridge might have got a goal themselves if not for a good save from Ashley Maynard-Brewer. Liam Palmer was introduced for the final stretch as Yan Valery limped off, and Ali Al-Hamadi came on for the Owls’ number 10 - with the hosts switching to a 4-4-2.

Both teams huffed and puffed, Maynard-Brewer pulled off a couple of excellent saves in a goalmouth scramble, and Cambridge did some excellent defending of their own at the other end. Five minutes were added on, and it felt like either team could find a winner.

Sil Swinkels came on to make his return from injury, replacing Weaver, and the stoppage seemed to put a pin in matters. The 30,701 in attendance wouldn’t see a victory, but they did play their part in making it seven 30k home crowds in a row - for the first time since 1953!

A draw felt fair in the end, and it was an enjoyable game to watch. Now we wait to see if it’ll be Hamshaw’s one and only game as interim manager, with Dave Challinor and others waiting in the wings to find out who’ll take over.

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The only thing worse than the weather on Saturday afternoon in Doncaster was the mood of the Wednesdayites who made the short trip over from Sheffield. And you could hardly blame them…

Pedersen reshuffled the pack as they headed into this weekend’s South Yorkshire derby, not only changing the personnel but also making a shift in formation. With Callum Slattery suspended, Billy Mitchell returned to the fold, while Liam Palmer came in for the injured Di’Shon Bernard and Ali Al-Hamadi starting as Jamal Lowe served the first of his three-game ban.

Kieran Morrison and Max Lowe also started, with the former playing as a left wing-back and the latter going in on the left of the centre as the Dane switched the Owls to a back three. A shot on target - albeit a tame one - felt like a bright start, but that’s as good as it got in a torrid first half.

With the rain pouring, Wednesday were once again at sixes and sevens, and not only looked second best against Rovers - they looked like they wanted it less. So when Owen Bailey opened the scoring in the seventh minute, you couldn’t say it wasn’t coming. He fired past Ashley Maynard-Brewer after the Owls failed to deal with a corner, and an already disgruntled away end became even more so.

Any hope that going behind would kick them into gear disappeared quickly, and nine minutes later it was two. Bailey - who was looked at by Wednesday over the summer - was on hand again, making the most of some more messy defending from the Owls to slide it past Maynard-Brewer from 12 yards out.

Players weren’t recruited over the summer to cater to a back five, and it was clear that the switch wasn’t working. It didn’t take long for Pedersen to change things back, with Morrison going out onto the right and Davis Keillor-Dunn went on the left. Sadly for the visiting side, it didn’t change anything - and they remained second best.

You can talk about tactics all you want, and the starting formation may have been wrong, but when touches and passes and decision-making are as bad as bad as they were in the first half, there are bigger issues than formations and setup. There wasn’t even any scrap, and that's the bare minimum.

Half time came and went, with the Owls coming out earlier than their opponents. Jaden Heskey made way for Mason Burstow, with Wednesday needing to go for it in the second stanza.

Things did improve in the early stages. Barry Bannan saw a good effort well-saved by Tommy Simkin, and they looked more of a threat… It didn’t take much, though, considering the toothless nature of their first half.

Wednesday were finding their feet, finally, and had it not been for Simkin they’d have been back in the game. The Stoke City youngster did brilliantly to keep out Bannan once again, before making himself big to do the same to Al-Hamadi. The England youth international was certainly proving his worth - he’d finish the game with eight stops.

Will Grainger was introduced with around 10 minutes left to go, replacing Al-Hamadi up top, as Wednesday sought to rekindle some of the fire they found away at Huddersfield Town not long back…

Instead, though, things seemed to fizzle out as we approached the end of the tie. Maynard-Brewer made an excellent stop of his own to stop Bailey from securing his hat-trick, and chants of ‘We want Henrik out’ emanated from the travelling end of 2,900 Wednesdayites.

Things threatened to boil over as a coming-together in the Wednesday half saw half of the players on the pitch get involved - Mitchell was booked for his part in it. Sean Fusire came on for Palmer, and seven minutes of added time were announced.

Maynard-Brewer was at it again in the dying embers, doing brilliantly to stand his ground and keep out Alfie May, but praise for the goalkeeper on an afternoon like this one is no consolation.

There was to be no fightback, and the damage was done in the first half. Pedersen has backed by Arise after their takeover, but exactly one year after the end times began for Dejphon Chansiri on Administration Day, you can’t help but fear that the end times have now begun for the man in the dugout.

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Goals from Daniel Kanu and Darius Lipsiuc did the damage as the hosts beat the Owls in Nottingham for the first time 1991, but the 2-0 defeat wasn’t the only blow on a miserable evening for Henrik Pedersen’s side. There could be further repercussions to come, too.

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The Balls Are Out Discount

Wednesday were unchanged as they visited Meadow Lane for the first time since 2012, and Henrik Pedersen will have been hoping for more of the same after the 5-0 thumping of AFC Wimbledon over the weekend.

The early signs were good, with the Owls zipping the ball about nicely. The combination play and movement was good, even though the visitors weren’t able to fashion any real chances of note.

Unfortunately, the first notable moment was a sad one to see. Di’Shon Bernard, who only recently returned for a long-term injury, bravely threw himself in the way of a goalbound effort to make a good block - but looked immediately uncomfortable as he stood up. Wednesdayites held their breath as he went down holding his knee.

Looking for positives, the knee that Bernard was holding as he went off tonight wasn’t the one that he had all the issues with before. It could just be a tweak/impact issue after his block… Fingers crossed, anyway.

He was replaced by Gabriel Otegbayo, and moments later another blow of a different kind. Callum Slattery, fresh off his goal against Wimbledon, was booked for a challenge just outside the Owls box - it means that he’s now suspended for the next game, so will miss the trip to Doncaster Rovers.

Wednesday couldn’t seem to recover themselves after the stoppage, and it gave the hosts a boost. Martin Paterson’s men started to have some joy, and with seven minutes of normal time to play they got their big chance from the spot after Otegbayo clumsily brought down Kanu. The Magpies’ number nine stepped up to take it himself and fired confidently past Ashley Maynard-Brewer in goal.

Tempers flared with a few late challenges, and former Owl, Conor Grant, was shown a yellow for a late challenge on Jamal Lowe. Harry Gray fired goalwards before the break after some good footwork, but it rolled wide of the mark. County led after 45 minutes, and deservedly so.

Ali Al-Hamadi was introduced ahead of the second half, with Slattery making way. It was no surprise as things threatened to bubble over given that he was on a booking, and it certainly felt like a game where the Iraqi international could make a difference.

But things went from bad to worse within five minutes…

Lowe’s touch was loose as he looked to get up the pitch, and his lunging tackle on Jacob Bedeau looked dangerous. Stephen Parkinson didn’t think twice, and handed the Owls’ striker his marching orders. An already tough task had just gotten tougher, and Lowe will miss the next three matches.

Pedersen looked to his bench, bringing Max Lowe - who took the captain’s armband - and Billy Mitchell into the mix in place of Reece James and Barry Bannan. There was a mountain to climb, and Wednesday weren’t looking like a team that looked like they had the right gear for the hike.

Wednesday huffed and puffed, but couldn’t seem to string anything prominent together. Touches were poor, passing was innacurate, and heading into the final 10 minutes or so it was only really Maynard-Brewer and Liam Cooper that were going to come out of this game with any real credit.

Kieran Morrison came on for Otegbayo as one final roll of the dice for the visiting side, but the momentum wasn’t shifting. And moments later came the killer blow.

AMB had performed admirably in difficult circumstances, but there wasn’t much he could do as Lipsiuc was given the freedom of Nottinghamshire to fire into the back of the net. 2-0, game over, and the quicker tonight is forgotten, the better. Jaden Heskey went into the book late on, and it was the last event of note.

Wednesday were as bad against County as they were good against Wimbledon, and could have no complaints as they trudged off the field on a wet Tuesday night. They’ll need to be light-years better if they’re to make up for this one at the weekend against Doncaster Rovers.

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It may still be early days in the 2026/27 campaign, but such are the expectations at S6 that sluggish performances had started to outweigh the solid results. After three League One draws in a row, pressure has been building on Henrik Pedersen - and it felt like he needed a big result.

No smile was bigger than his at the final whistle.

There were changes for the hosts, and the big one came as a blow… Joe Lumley picked up a rib injury in the week, and will be assessed in the coming days - Ashley Maynard-Brewer came in to replace him.

Elsewhere, Davis Keillor-Dunn got a deserved start after his star turn vs Huddersfield Town, and Jaden Heskey also came into the XI. Kieran Morrison and Billy Mitchell were replaced, and the bench saw a welcome return for Max Lowe after his time out injured.

They started bright. After criticisms over the attacking nature of their play, the Owls were popping the ball around nicely in the opening stages of the tie, and it didn’t take them long to fashion their first chance.

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The Balls Are Out Discount

Keillor-Dunn, who was playing more centrally this afternoon, was found by Callum Slattery after a nice Wednesday break, and while he caught his shot nicely, it was a tight angle and Josef Bursik was up to the challenge.

With 15 minutes on the clock there was only one team in it. Harry Gray saw a couple of efforts miss the target, and Pedersen’s side were playing with so much more intent, so much more vigour, than we’ve seen in recent league fixtures. They were zipping the ball about nicely, and the visitors couldn’t seem to keep up with the pace of their play.

Then, all of a sudden, the momentum left them. For some reason the intensity dropped, and the visitors started to have a bit of joy. Onlookers, concerned by recent performances, feared the worst. Would it be a case of missed opportunities coming back to bite them?

No, was the answer to that question.

Because in the 38th minute Barry Bannan got a seven-minute three-goal blitz underway that started with his composed finish from inside the box and ended with Harry Gray slamming the ball past Bursik for a third. DKD, who picked up where he left off at the Accu, sandwiched a goal in between, finishing with aplomb after a deft touch on the halfway line sent him free.

Wednesdayites wanted more goals, and goals is what they got. The Owls went in three goals to the good at half-time, having had 10 shots - six on target - and made nine key passes. Better? Not half.

Unsurprisingly there were no changes from the Wednesday manager at the break, with the Dane eager for his side to keep up their onslaught. It took them a little bit to settle back in - even then, though, they didn’t look in any danger. Reece James was booked after bringing down an attacker on the break, but the freekick was fizzed over.

11 minutes in and it was four. Reece James - who had been a threat all afternoon - found some space down the left and whipped in a dangerous cross into the box. A defensive leap was too short, and it landed at the feet of Slattery… He made no mistake from close range, slotting home with a controlled first-time finish.

Then came the substitutes, but not before Heskey became the second Wednesday player in the book. With the job done, the Owls boss opted to rest some legs. Gabriel Otegbayo replaced Liam Cooper, Billy Mitchell took Bannan’s place, and Al-Hamadi made his return as Jamal Lowe made way.

With the game winding down, Pedersen looked to his bench once again, and the crowd rose to its feet for two reasons. Di’Shon Bernard left the field after a first successful Hillsborough outing since his injury, and Max Lowe completed his own personal comeback.

In truth, Wednesday maybe dropped down a gear heading into the final, though Gray was still trying his best to make things happen as he jinked his way up and down the left side. A standing ovation was his reward as he was replaced by Morrison as another remarkable attendance of 30,477 was announced.

The Liverpool loanee had a strike saved from the edge of the box, with Wednesday’s high press still causing the visitors problems even after the slight dip in intensity. The winger was to make his mark, too, with an excellent driving run opening up the Wimbledon defence before finding Keillor-Dunn, whose calm finish wrapped things up. 5-0.

Wednesday needed a performance today. And a performance they delivered… A clean sheet, too. Are you not entertained?

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With 87 minutes on the clock Wednesday looked dead and buried, but a flurry of late drama saw Henrik Pedersen’s side fight their way back to earn a 2-2 draw in West Yorkshire.

There were no big surprises in terms of the Owl’s XI, with Ricardo Santos missing out after picking up a small groin injury, and Di’Shon Bernard stepping into the backline for his first league appearance in 610 days. Kieran Morrison and Harry Gray started out wide, with the hope being that their youth exuberance would give the visitors a bright attacking outlet.

It was a big game for both sides as they sought to climb back into League One’s top two, and - as has become standard - there was a sold out away end present as Wednesdayites sought to roar their side on to victory.

The early stages were untidy, with neither team really able to take full control of the tie. Possession was turned over on a regular basis, and there were unforced errors from both sets of players. Wednesday, in their yellow change strip, were certainly the side under the most pressure, though.

Some of the Owls’ passing left a lot to be desired, and a break from the hosts should’ve led to them taking the lead with just over 12 minutes on the clock… Joe Lumley, however, had other ideas.

The visiting side were caught on the hop, and a low cross into the box found Joe Taylor with the goal gaping… He couldn’t believe it as he saw Lumley fling his huge frame to the right, somehow getting a strong hand on it to keep the scores level. You won’t see many better saves this season.

It was a stop that saw a bit of a momentum shift as Wednesday started to get a bit of a foothold in the game, but it didn’t last long and Lumley was again called into action Derensili Sanches Fernandes. Callum Slattery went into the book shortly afterwards for a late challenge, meaning that his next yellow card will result in a one-game ban.

Gray was scythed down by Archie Collins, who also picked up a booking, and there was certainly a bit of bite to the clash at the Accu Stadium. Billy Mitchell impressed as he battled away in the centre of the park, and Barry Bannan picked out some nice passes, but as the half-time whistle was blown it was obvious that the visitors needed more in the attacking third.

Pedersen didn’t wait to make any changes. After a toothless first half, the Dane opted to take out Morrison, replacing him with Davis Keillor-Dunn… They could’ve done with a bright start.

What they got, however, was the worst start imaginable. Some calamitous stuff at the back saw the ball fall to Joe Taylor, and he remained calm under pressure to beat Liam Cooper before firing past Lumley. It took less than a minute.

Fans will have been hoping for an immediate reaction, but were left wanting. Wednesday, despite having plenty of possession, just weren’t able to show any sort of threat. It took almost an hour for them to have a shot on goal, and that - from Callum Slattery - went wide of the mark.

Lumley was booked for remonstrating, and the groans of Wednesdayites could be heard loud and clear as the away side consistently gave the ball away… A break after a missed Huddersfield opportunity saw Gray have the Owls’ first shot on target, but Matthew Young wasn’t overly troubled by it. Nor was he worried by Keillor-Dunn’s off-target effort just afterwards.

And then came what should’ve been the killer blow. Fernandes had been a handful all afternoon, and after some more sloppy Owls defending he found himself some space in the box and fired low past Lumley to make it 2-0. There was never going to be any coming back from that with the lack of chances the visitors had been creating…

Gabriel Otegbayo came on for Bernard, with a full 90 still out of his reach, while Jaden Heskey took the place of Mitchell. Huddersfield had this one in the bag, they thought, with Young doing well to keep out a close-range effort from Jamal Lowe as we approached the final 10 minutes.

But this is Sheffield Wednesday, and drama follows them around…

Mason Burstow was introduced in place of Slattery, and Wednesday did try to make a late push. They got one back after a dangerous Heskey cross was turned into his own net by Ibane Bowat, and all of a sudden the visitors looked a threat… It's a pity it took so long, and surely it was too little too late?

Not for Wednesday. They continued to push, continued to probe. Then came the moment… Cooper, a man so used to putting his body on the line, went up for a header in the opposition’s after Lumley had also made his way up for the corner… Marcus Harness’ foot was high, and caught the Owls defender square in the face. Penalty? Edward Duckworth thought so, after taking a bit of time to think about it.

The away end held their breath, and up stepped Jamal Lowe to slot home from the spot. 2-2, somehow, and Wednesday were taking a point back to South Yorkshire. It wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t even very good, but it showed plenty of character once again.

Wednesday need to show more quality, and it’s frustrating to see them take so long to show any real attacking impetus, but there’s no doubting the spirit in this group after another battle on the road. Down to 7th, and in desperate need of a 90-minute performance, but the Owls’ unbeaten run now stretches to eight.

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And that’s no comment on the opposition’s performance, they had some good moments… It was quite literally Wednesday against Sunderland’s U21s - who fielded a whole host of teenagers.

For some it’ll always be the LDV Vans Trophy, for others it’s the Johnstone’s Paint. For many Wednesdayites it’s still known as the Pizza Cup after the three years it spent sponsored by Papa Johns…

Whatever you call it, there’s no doubt that the EFL Trophy is one that’s been hugely diluted over the years. It’s a competition where an extra point is given for a penalty shootout win and where U21 teams from the Premier League travel to teams in League One and League Two. In the early stages especially, it’s hard to take it too seriously.

But silverware is silverware, I suppose, and Henrik Pedersen showed no sign of throwing in the towel despite the Owls’ young opponents tonight. While there was plenty of youth out there in blue and white, there were a number of experienced heads as well - both in the XI and on the bench.

The first half was a pretty frantic one. There were chances at both ends, with Joe Cowan doing well to keep out a bouncing Callum Slattery header, and Connal Trueman pulling off an excellent stop down to his left.

Jaden Heskey was the man to break the deadlock, though, after some nice play from Jarvis Thornton and Sean Fusire saw the ball land at the midfielder’s feet. The Manchester City man calmly dinked it over the ‘keeper to get his first senior goal, and it was 1-0.

The Black Cats’ kids had their chances, and none of them were better than the one that fell to 31-year-old Alan Browne not long before half-time. A nice move left him with space in the box, but he blazed it into an empty Kop…

Wednesday went in at the break a goal to the good, and though the visitors probably should’ve had a goal, the home side were good value for their lead. Liam Palmer was excellent, as was Billy Mitchell, and Slattery was bombing about like it was a competitive league fixture. No complaints.

With the second half came a raft of changes. Mitchell went off for Barry Bannan, Denny Oliver made his debut in place of Slattery and Jamal Lowe went up front as Mason Burstow left the field. Meanwhile, Reece James took over for Ricardo Santos, with Palmer moving centrally.

The home side nearly doubled their lead within minutes, too, and Lowe would’ve added to his tally for the season had it not been for an excellent Cowan save from close range.

Chances weren’t quite as regular as the Owls shot towards the Kop, but there were still a few opportunities that came Wednesday’s way. Joel Akpobi, in his second start, showed some nice footwork but couldn’t trouble the ‘keeper, while Fusire looked really sharp down the right side after returning from international duty with Zimbabwe.

The visitors did actually have the ball in the net after we entered into the final 20 minutes, with Trey Samuel-Ogunsuyi on hand to fire past Trueman, however it was rightly ruled out for offside. A let-off for Wednesday after a nice bit of play from the visiting side.

Pedersen’s final change saw Sam Duruh take the place of Thornton, who looked to have picked up a late knock… With just under 15 minutes to go, Wednesday were very much in the driving seat.

Then came the killer blow. There was some fortune in the way that the ball found Bannan in the Sunderland box, but no fortune in the way that he finished it… He pulled back that reliable left foot of his before firing past Cowan with a blistering effort that nestled inside the side-netting. 2-0, game over, and goal number 38 in appearance number 487 for the Owls’ number 10.

It’s not the priority, not by any stretch, but a couple of goals and a clean sheet will be welcomed by Wednesday. Most Wednesdayites - myself included - don’t have an EFL Trophy win on their list of desires for the current campaign… But we’ll all change our tune if it ends up with another trip to Wembley.

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There was a winner from Jamal Lowe, with an equaliser from Davis Keillor-Dunn sandwiched in between after Ben Woodburn’s opener. It was by no means a Club Supreme performance, and

Henrik Pedersen did ring the changes, of course, with Di’Shon Bernard making his first outing in 591 days and young Joel Akpobi being handed his debut. Ashley Maynard-Brewer was also given his first appearance, with Joe Lumley being given some time to rest up.

Frankly, the less said about the first half, the better. From a Wednesday perspective, anyway. Pedersen’s Owls never really got going, they looked disjointed and disinterested, and a shabby display on the ball saw them struggle to make any sort of impact on the tie.

On the flip side, Salford looked good. They were zipping the ball around nicely, and almost opened the scoring early doors when Luke Garbutt rifled a long-range effort across the bar behind Maynard-Brewer.

The Wednesday goalkeeper was the major positive from the opening stanza, and was twice called into action as he kept out Kyrell Malcolm from both close range and from outside the box - AMB will have been pleased with both of them.

Akpobi looked bright enough on his debut, and his directness did offer a bit of respite for the visitors, and it was nice to see Bernard not afraid to throw himself into challenge after his lengthy spell out. Trusting your body in physical duels again must be a hard part of returning to fitness.

In the end, however, the pressure told for the Ammies, and it was a former Sheffield United man who’d break the deadlock. The finish was lovely, curling an effort past the Wednesday ‘keeper from the edge of the box, but Pedersen will have been frustrated with how much time he was given.

Anyone hoping for an immediate response was to left disappointed, and the home side remained on top, barring a slight increase in tempo before the break. Peter Cklamovski lead at half-time, and absolutely deserved to.

Thankfully, the second half brought with it a substantial improvement. There were no changes from the Wednesday boss, but you’d think they’d been given a rocket ahead of the restart.

It took 10 minutes for them to get level, and it was Keillor-Dunn who got himself off the mark. There was a Brilliant Link-up Together - a BLT, you could say - between Grainger and Akpobi, with the latter doing well to find DKD in the box. His placement was perfect, and header was a simple one. 1-1.

Pedersen sensed a change in momentum and sought a winner. Bernard was replaced by Gabriel Otegbayo, but then Callum Slattery and Lowe were introduced into the fray, and you might say they proved to be the sort of sub that Mike would be proud of… Super Subs, anyone?

It didn’t take long for them to make an impact. Slattery won a penalty after being brought down in the box, and his teammate was on hand to slot it home for his sixth goal in 10 games.

Other debuts came as well, with Will McPartland and Sam Duruh turning out in Owls colours for the first time, becoming the 1203rd and 1204th players to do so, and were solid.

There was to be no Number Four, but Wednesday didn’t need there to be. It definitely wasn’t a Big Kahuna of an outing, but Pedersen will loaf the fact that his team came away victorious. Three points in the bag.

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In terms of the starting XI, Mason Burstow was reinstated up front, while Ricardo Santos was paired with Liam Cooper in defence. Jaden Heskey dropped out of the squad completely as Harry Gray made the bench - the young midfielder the first victim of the fact that Wednesday have one more loanee than they’re allowed to name in their matchday squad.

Optimism surrounds Wednesday once again, and there was plenty of blue and white on show as a new flag was unfurled on a busy Kop before kick-off. Wigan had had a rough start to their 2026/27 campaign, and the hosts were hoping to add to their woes.

The first half was a lively one. Both teams had good spells as it ebbed and flowed at S6, and in the opening 15 minutes we’d seen Billy Mitchell clip the ball over the top and hit the ref in the head, Burstow crash one against the woodwork, Cooper ping a delightful diagonal ball and the visitors have a pretty decent penalty shout waved away.

Cooper was in fantastic form, getting in the way of everything that came his way. He blocked shots, cleared crosses and looked generally very tidy alongside his experienced colleague, Santos.

Another player who stood out was young Kieran Morrison, who was a constant handful down Wednesday’s right-hand side. With his stepovers and dropped shoulders he managed to get a few strikes on goal, and also put some wicked balls into the box… Unfortunately nobody was able to get on the end of them.

Big chances were few and far between, but there were saves from the Joes in goal – Lumley and Whitworth – as the two teams fought for an opener. It wasn’t to come in the opening stanza, and we were still goalless after 45 minutes.

While Wednesday probably edged the first half, it was the visiting side who looked brightest in the early stages of the second. Jensen Weir hit the post, Cooper was booked, and the Owls spent an extended period down to 10 men as Callum Slattery waited for a change of boots and then Yan Valery went down injured.

Ultimately the full-back couldn’t continue, despite trying to come back on, and was one of three changes by Henrik Pedersen with just over an hour played. Palmer replaced him, while Ali Al-Hamadi came on for Mason Burstow and Slattery went off for Davis Keillor-Dunn.

Wednesday couldn’t really get a hold on the game, and it was the Latics who looked the most likely to score. Pedersen’s men could barely get out of their own half, and the Owls boss looked to be forced into another change - this time it was Santos off for Gabriel Otegbayo.

Gray was the next one to enter the mix, taking over from Lowe, but it didn’t really look to help matters. The talented teenager showed a few nice touches, but we entered into the final five minutes of normal time with the home side still battling to create anything meaningful.

The attacker was booked as the 90-minute mark approached, going into Seb Stockbridge’s book for dissent after reacting to what did look to be a very soft foul given against him. Eight minutes were added on.

To their credit, the Owls did make a late push in search of a winner, slowly trying to turn the screw as 30,725 people watched on. It wasn’t to be, though, and Wigan were able to deal with anything that came their way. The best Wednesday chance fell to Gray after a lovely Palmer cross found him in the box, but he couldn’t keep his effort down.

In the end a draw was probably a fair result, and a last-ditch block from Otegbayo at the death made sure that that’s how it finished. Not an afternoon to remember for Wednesdayites, but they could at least head home knowing that their team is still top of the table. A first clean sheet will be welcomed, too.

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It’s hard to believe that it’s not even been four years since Peterborough’s demolition of the Owls at London Road… Since then, there’s been a Miracle of Hillsborough and a Wembley win, there’s been the firing of a promotion-winning manager and a Great Escape. There’s also been a relegation, a takeover and a whole lot more. It’s never dull at Sheffield Wednesday.

For the Posh, they’ve remained where they were, stuck in League One and - last season - were only five points ahead of the drop zone. This afternoon, with the hosts trying to get back on track and the visitors looking for another win,

‘4-0, and you f***cked it up’ was the most obvious chant, and it started well before kick-off. Another sold-out away end was always expected to be a noisy one, and they didn’t disappoint as those donned in blue, white, yellow and a new navy number sang their hearts out.

On the pitch it was more even, though, with chances at both ends. Kieran Morrison saw an excellent effort saved by Alex Bass, while David Okagbue - was an early substitute for the injured Tom O’Connor - headed not far wide… With just over half an hour played, there had already been 11 shots on goal.

Despite his excellent cameo last time out, Ernie Weaver remained on the bench for this one, and it’s probably worth mentioning that he has just come off a lengthy injury - caution is required. Liam Cooper is being managed, too, so Gabriel Otegbayo kept his place at centre-back.

Jaden Heskey was into the XI, as was new signing, Davis Keillor-Dunn (the 1,200th player to turn out for the Owls), while Billy Mitchell dropped to the bench as he was given a break after a couple of excellent performances.

With the back-and-forth, it felt like the opening goal could come from either side… As it happened, though, it was Henrik Pedersen’s men who broke the deadlock - with a little help from the home side.

A mix-up at the back saw the ball end up at the feet of Keillor-Dunn, who prodded the ball towards Barry Bannan. His effort was blocked, but only as far as Kieran Morrison, who clipped over Bass with a dainty goal-bound effort. He might have thought he’d picked up his first senior goal, but the replays show that it never actually crossed the line, with an attempted clearance hitting Josh Feeney before nestling into the back of the net.

The lead was very nearly fleeting, though. Peterborough fought back immediately, and Harry Leonard was a lick of paint away from levelling up straight away, but could only watch as his effort bounced back off the post behind Joe Lumley.

There was excellent defending from Yan Valery, Liam Cooper and Reece James as they kept the hosts at bay. They will have been delighted to hear the half-time whistle.

With the second half came a defensive change as Weaver was brought into the mix in place of Cooper, and you have to think that it’s a case of managing both of them. Otegbayo, it would seem, is the only centre-back capable of finishing 90 minutes for the time being.

And his absence was noted within moments, Ben Woods being found unmarked in the Owls’ box before hammering a bullet header past Lumley. The marking was an issue, but so was the inability to stop the cross coming in. 1-1.

Peterborough weren’t slowing down, either. A dangerous cross into the far post almost resulted in a James own goal, but Lumley did excellently to clear it off the line. The Posh kept coming, too, and 10 minutes into the second stanza it seemed that if there was to be another goal, it would be them that got it.

Something had to change, and Pedersen didn’t wait. A triple sub followed a yellow card to Heskey, with the midfielder being replaced by Mitchell as Mason Burstow and Ali Al-Hamadi came on. Jamal Lowe - who’d hit a decent chance over the bar a few minutes earlier - and Keillor-Dunn made way.

There was almost an immediate reward as well, with Wednesday breaking the hosts’ backline before Bannan was found in the box… The Owls skipper caught his strike nicely, but it flashed just past the far post and wide. Callum Slattery went into the book shortly afterwards.

The changes helped, without doubt, and Wednesday did manage to gain control of the game for a while. A sublime Al-Hamadi touch resulted in him getting a shot on goal, but it flew wide of the mark, but momentum swung to and fro in what was a consistently open game in Cambridgeshire.

Then came the moment. After one of their own periods of pressure, the Owls won a corner, and Morrison marched over to flag to take it in front of a noisy away end. His left-footer was a dangerous one, and Valery was on hand to nod it past Bass and into the back of the net. Jubilation from the travelling fans, and for the second game in a row Pedersen’s changes looked to have done the job.

As it so often the case in League One, though, the pendulum continued to swing. Lumley had to tip a misplaced cross over the bar, and another effort from the edge of the box bounced past his post.

Liam Palmer was thrown into the mix with five minutes to go as Valery made way, unable to continue after he limped off the pitch. We’ll wait to hear whether it’s anything to worry about.

Seven minutes were added once the 90 had come to an end, and squeaky-bum-time was well and truly upon us. At one point there were 10 Owls in the box for an 18-yard box scramble that thankfully ended up in Lumley’s arms. Luke Williams’ men weren’t going down without a fight.

The whistle was a relief. While the visitors held firm, it did feel like the home side would’ve got there eventually… But they didn’t, and the celebrations from the Wednesday bench and away end roared through the Peterborough air when Andrew Humphries finally called time.

Once more they’d slogged, they’d scrapped, and they got what they came for. A first win at Peterborough since Shefki Kuqi’s winner in 2003, and three away wins to start a league campaign since the same year.

We’ll have to see how long it lasts, with Huddersfield Town playing later today, but for right now the Owls are top of the table - and they’ve not hit their straps yet.

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After a few rushed phone calls not long after the starting XIs were confirmed, I rushed into action after picking up a line that Wednesday were trying to wrap up a last-gasp deal to land David Keillor-Dunn from Wrexham… It meant that I actually missed the opening goal, live anyway.

Watching it back, though - it was a bad one. Gabriel Otegbayo - who replaced Ricardo Santos in the XI - didn’t deal well with a ball over the top, heading it straight to Cauley Woodrow, who managed to slot it past Joe Lumley to give the hosts a sixth-minute lead.

The reaction, however, was strong. It took the Owls just five minutes to get themselves level, showcasing some excellent football to break on the Chairboys at pace.

It started with Jamal Lowe, who poked the ball excellently to Barry Bannan. The man with the armband picked out a gorgeous outside-of-the-booter with his first touch, sending Louie Barry galloping down the pitch…

He found Mason Burstow, who fired towards the far post, and while Conor Hazard got down well to his right, Wednesday’s number 11 was on hand to tap it into an empty net. 1-1 with 11 minutes on the clock.

Barry’s joy was short-lived, though. Moments later, while bounding down the left side, he rolled his right ankle and looks immediately uncomfortable. The attacker had to be helped off the pitch and straight down the tunnel, with Kieran Morrison being called upon to replace him.

Reece James had a curling effort saved, Callum Slattery slammed a good effort into the side-netting, but it was Wycombe who were finished the half the strongest as the visitors missed the movement of Barry and had to withstand a fair bit of pressure from the home side. Thankfully, Lumley and the backline in front of him was up to everything that came their way.

But things changed as added time got underway. Wednesday found their feet a bit more, and started to probe the hosts’ defence more and more. They earned themselves a few corners, and the last one resulted in a little scramble in the box that saw Slattery’s legs clipped… Penalty Owls.

Bannan stepped up and held onto the ball as Wycombe got their complaints out of the way, before handing it to Lowe. His confidence will be sky high, and it showed in his spot kick as he fired it into the roof of the net to make it four goals in four League One games. 2-1 just before the break.

Tempers flared after the whistle after an incident involving Woodrow and Slattery, with the teams having to be separated and ushered down the tunnel. Wycombe really weren’t happy with the penalty decision.

There were no changes ahead of the second stanza, and Wednesday looked to pick up where they’d left off. They were bright out of the blocks, and there were some nice bits of interplay in their attempts to add to their lead.

Once more the pendulum swung, though. Michael Duff’s men started to take hold of the game again, and put serious pressure on the away defence. Reece James was strong again, and Yan Valery looked excellent down the right. Wycombe did have the ball in the net at one point, but were adjudged to have handled it beforehand… It should’ve been a foul on Valery, anyway.

Jaden Heskey was brought on for his second debut as Henrik Pedersen looked to shift the momentum - and it seemed to work. The Manchester City loanee helped calm things down, and shortly afterwards Wednesday’s right back drifted up the pitch and saw a wicked strike whistle past the post.

Billy Mitchell was fantastic in the middle of the park as he helped dictate play alongside Bannan, while big Liam Cooper was a rock at the back, winning almost as many aerials on his own as the whole Wycombe side.

But the home side weren’t done. Bannan joined Slattery in the book as they made a late push, and Connor Taylor should probably have evened things up. Cooper and the Owls captain made way shortly afterwards, managing their minutes as Ernie Weaver made his long-awaited return and Ali Al-Hamadi got another runout.

Weaver didn’t take long to get in on the action, either. Within minutes he was throwing himself into blocks and diving headers, doing everything on his first game back to make sure that three points would head back to Sheffield.

And so it came to pass. Excellent at points, scrapping and growling in others. In many ways a quintessential third-tier victory. Up those second-placed Owls.

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A brilliant first half saw the Owls head into the break with a 3-0 lead, and the result never really seemed in doubt after Callum Slattery had given them the lead.

The signs were there early on, too. It was said beforehand that the Ravens could be susceptible to being caught out at the back when teams tried to play through them, and that certainly proved to be the case.

It took moments for the first chance to come, with Billy Mitchell doing brilliantly to burst forward before setting up Louie Barry, however his effort was bravely stopped by Shamal George.

The Owls kept coming, though, and Mason Burstow was the next to go close with a superbly acrobatic overhead kick after a Bromley error, but once again George was up to the challenge as he tipped over the bar.

The visitors couldn’t keep Wednesday out for long, however, and seven minutes into a first half that ended with 72% possession in the hosts’ favour, Henrik Pedersen’s men finally took the lead.

Callum Slattery, once again looking a class above, took the ball down on his chest delightfully before finding Louie Barry out wide. The number eight then ghosted into the box before being found by his teammate, and calmly slotted home. Cool as a cucumber in front of goal.

Reece James, thrown into the mix for his second league debut at Hillsborough due to an expected injury to Max Lowe, was incredibly tidy at left back, and was also involved in the second goal.

His clearance eventually ended up at the feet of Jamal Lowe, and he was composed under pressure to slot the ball through to Burstow, who made it two for the home side with a lovely finish from the edge of the box. He more than deserved it for his efforts.

Wednesday were 2-0 up as the half-time whistle loomed, but they weren’t done just yet. Again Slattery was involved, as was Barry, and the former slid the ball through to Lowe who was able to make it 3-0 - and take his tally to three across all competitions in 2026/27.

Pedersen will have been delighted at the break, but there was a change to make before the second stanza got underway. Ricardo Santos made way, with Gabriel Otegbayo taking his place.

Things couldn’t have started much better, either, with the Barries - Louie and Bannan - working together beautifully down the left-hand side before the winger cut inside and did what he’s done so many times before and slotted it past the unsighted goalkeeper. 4-0, and Wednesday were cruising.

Things couldn’t have started much better, either, with the Barries - Louie and Bannan - working together beautifully down the left-hand side before the winger cut inside and did what he’s done so many times before and slotted it past the unsighted goalkeeper. 4-0, and Wednesday were cruising.

Wednesday were running riot, and it wasn’t getting any better for Andy Woodman’s side. The Owls were having so much joy on the ball, constantly finding ways behind the visiting backline, and the Ravens simply couldn’t cope.

It wasn’t long until it was five, with Barry in on the action once again. A bit of a scramble in the box saw the ball eventually fall to the feet of Burstow, and he showed excellent composure to slide it towards the number 11. He was exactly where he needed to be, and fired home into the roof of the net in front of an ecstatic Kop.

The onslaught continued as the home side bossed every single aspect of the game, and it was very nearly six through Lowe, but his effort from the edge of the six-yard box whistled just wide of the post. Bannan made way not long afterwards, with Kieran Morrison entering the mix.

Another double change came shortly afterwards, with Liam Cooper and Mitchell having run their race - Liam Palmer and Jarvis Thornton replaced them as Pedersen looked to see out the tie with just over 20 minutes to go.

Morrison almost got in on the action, but George was up to the challenge. Wednesday were relentless, though, and kept pressing. With around 30 shots, and 70% possession, the hosts weren’t flattered by the heavy scoreline… Ali Al-Hamadi entered the fray for the final 10 minutes as Barry went off to a fully deserved standing ovation.

His exit didn’t stop the onslaught, though, as Otegbayo got amongst the goals after a lovely cross from Morrison found him at the back post. The Owls were 7-0 up, scoring seven times for the first time since 2003.

Lumley was finally called into proper action late in the day, but got down brilliantly to his right to keep the visiting side out… He wasn’t so lucky moments later, though, as Victor Adeboyejo slotted home from the penalty spot after Thornton was adjudged to have fouled him in the box.

There was another shortly afterwards, too, with Otegbayo finding the net at the other end in an unlucky manner following a dangerous cross into the box. 7-2.

While the nature of the late goals for the opponents tainted things ever-so-slightly, the Owls will take great pleasure in the way they swept aside the reigning League Town champions on a very wet afternoon at S6. They end the night in fourth place, and have now set a marker for the levels they can reach.

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Sheffield Wednesday have been through a lot over the last year or so. They’ve been through a lot over the last three decades, really…

And while a second defeat on the spin was disappointing, it felt like another evening where a bit of realism around the Owls’ current state was required. Despite the fact that Ali Al-Hamadi - who was at Hillsborough for the game - is due to become signing number 16, Wednesday still look incredibly light.

Three of their attacking four are aged 19 or under, and the man chosen to lead the line is just 23. There’s more experience in the defensive sector, which makes the nature of the goals conceded admittedly more frustrating, but it’s still a squad in the midst of a heavy transition.

Ultimately, it was a Championship team against a League One team, and for large chunks of the game it showed. Wolverhampton Wanderers were in the Premier League a few months ago, while many Owls in Henrik Pedersen’s XI are taking their first steps in the professional game.

Things couldn’t have started worse, to be honest. A cross-field ball evaded Liam Palmer in the third minute, and while Joe Lumley got in the way of Tawanda Chirewa’s shot, it ricocheted off Sil Swinkels and into the back of the net. 1-0 with not even 180 seconds on the clock.

Wednesday actually responded well to going behind, though. Will Grainger showed some nice little sparks of quality, Mason Burstow pressed well, while Kieran Morrison and Harry Gray looked a real handful at times.

The young Liverpool loanee was probably the brightest, getting off a couple of shots on goal, but Jose Sa was never really troubled. In midfield, Billy Mitchell got some more important minutes in his legs and put himself about nicely.

Jarvis Thornton was booked early on, and that didn’t help his cause against a Wolves side that handed new signing, Jordan James, his first start.

The gap in quality was clear, but the Owls held relatively firm. Reece James made one excellent tackle on his second Wednesday debut, and it looked like they’d keep the scoreline to one heading into the break.

That’s when Tommy Doyle whipped in a dangerous ball into the Wednesday box that caught out Ricardo Santos, and allowed Saheed Olagunju a free header - which he gladly took. 2-0, and already it felt like too much of a mountain to climb for the hosts.

The second half lacked any real oomph as Wolves seemed to sit on their 2-0 lead. They did bring on a host of subs that included the likes of Marshall Munetsi and Raul Jimenez, but with just over an hour gone it really did feel like it was game over.

Barry Bannan, Gabriel Otegbayo and Louie Barry came on for the Owls as Will Grainger, Ricardo Santos and Billy Mitchell soon made way, and not long afterwards we saw Max Lowe replace Swinkels at the back.

The changes did help, and the Barries didn’t take long to cause a few problems. One such case saw Bannan find his new teammate, who cut inside only to see his effort flash past the far post. It was better from the hosts, but not close enough.

Devlan Moses was the next change, coming on for Morrison a couple of days after opening his account for the season in a 1-1 draw against Bristol City’s U21s, and Wednesdayites will have liked what they saw from the man he replaced.

Jamal Lowe was the final substitution, which was allowed after Harry Gray sustained a head injury and went straight down the tunnel, but it was never going to change the result. He did have one effort on goal, but again Sa was relatively untroubled.

This season was always going to have its troubles for Wednesday, who are now able to focus on their usual 9-5 of League One after dropping out of the cup. Things will get better eventually, but it’s going to take time.

As the world mourns a musical great, I’ll end with another of her quotes: “The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.”

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The atmosphere at Hillsborough couldn’t have been much more different to a year ago when the Owls played their first home game of the 2025/26 campaign. Back then we saw protests and flyers and general sadness surround one of England’s oldest and most storied football clubs.

Tonight those things were replaced with hope, and belief, and with the likes of David Hirst, Chris Waddle, Mel Sterland and John Harkes watching on, a packed-out S6 made themselves heard. 33,138 supporters turned out for the tie, and with Mr. Sheffield Wednesday, Howard Wilkinson, in attendance, it was just the latest example of Wednesdayites feeling like they’d got their club back.

On the pitch things looked better, too - at least at first. Yan Valery returned to the starting XI, as did Liam Cooper, and there was a debut for Billy Mitchell… Louie Barry got his first start, and Kieran Morrison was named on the bench just a few hours after his loan switch from Liverpool was confirmed.

The Owls burst out of the blocks, too, and probably should’ve had the lead going into the break. Jon McCracken made a great save to keep Barry Bannan out, Callum Slattery saw an effort fly just wide of the mark, and Barry was a constant thorn in the side of the Bantams as he sought to find openings down the left-hand side.

Mitchell looked smart and Slattery continued to show glimpses of the sort of quality that has earned him rave reviews, but they weren’t able to take the chances… It’s not a story that Wednesdayites are unfamiliar with.

So for all the positivity that surrounds Wednesday at the moment, there will have been a bit of ‘I’ve seen this movie before’ from the home fans.

And so it played out. Just two minutes into the second half, the Owls’ regular Achilles heel showed itself again as they failed to deal with a set piece, and Aden Baldwin was on hand to fire home from close range after an away corner.

For a while the Bantams were in the ascendency, and Joe Lumley was called into action not long afterwards, diving to his right to make sure Graham Alexander’s side didn’t double their lead. They were on the ropes as WBC Super-Lightweight champion, Dalton Smith, watched on.

Henrik Pedersen’s men did rally, of course, with momentum swinging back and forth as the home side pushed for an equaliser, Slattery had a half-chance after being found by Max Lowe - but couldn’t get the ball out of his feet… Lumley was called into action also, though, diving to keep out a deflected effort just past the hour mark.

It was just after that that Pedersen decided he’d seen enough. On came Morrison for his debut, joined by Mason Burstow and Sil Swinkels, with Barry, Mitchell and Cooper making way.

They huffed and they puffed, but nothing was coming off for the hosts. A couple of times some nice interplay saw them work their way into the Bradford box, but the visitors looked as likely to get a second as Wednesday looked for an equaliser. There wasn’t a great deal of quality on show.

Ricardo Santos came on - another debut - as he took over from Gabriel Otegbayo, but it wasn’t a substitution likely to change things too much. McCracken was barely tested after the break, and the Owls were simply too sloppy in possession and - despite the effort of their supporters - couldn’t rise to the occasion.

This evening won’t be the last time that David Storch watches Sheffield Wednesday lose, and it’s his first taste of a Wednesdayism that we’ve all grown to know so well… He’ll get used to it.

Defeat tonight won’t define the Owls’ season, and on another night they’d have scored twice in the first half and won it. They didn’t, and they didn’t - and it ended 1-0.

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Henrik Pedersen let out a guttural roar as the final whistle was blown at Brisbane Road after goals from Callum Slattery and Jamal Lowe got them off to an excellent start down in the capital.

Yan Valery was missing from the squad altogether, and Tyler Onyango was handed his debut… The away end was - as always - packed out, and thankfully they had plenty to cheer on what was a blisteringly warm afternoon.

The first chance of the game came the way of the Owls, with Wednesday starting brightly and Jordi Liongola finding a bit of space in the box. Harry Gray slipped the ball into the middle, Slattery got a touch and it fell to the Burundian – but he couldn’t get over the ball and fired into the side netting.

For all the brightness, though, it didn’t take too long for a bitter Owls moment. Onyango - less than 15 minutes into his debut - went down holding his knee, and was unable to continue. For somebody who’s had issues over the years, it was a horrible blow so early into his SWFC career. He looked absolutely distraught as Jarvis Thornton replaced him.

Joe Lumley got down really to his left not long afterwards, tipping a deflected strike wide, and then – finally - a bit of luck…

We often say, ‘He needs one to go in off his backside’, when we talk about requiring some fortune in front of goal – and that’s exactly what Slattery got! It won’t be the way that he envisaged finding the net for the first time in Wednesday colours, but he won’t mind too much.

Nathan Baxter looked to clear the ball, but instead fired the ball right at the Owls’ number eight and could only watch as it bounced into the back of his neck. It was a lovely effort from his left cheek… A peach of a finish, you could say.

Sadly, though, their lead didn’t last long. Orient were given a drop ball after Sil Swinkels had been elbowed in the face, and as the Dutchman was waiting to come back on they looped the ball into the box that was eventually poked home by Joseph Oluwu. Defensively it left a lot to be desired, with Jaze Kabia left completely unmarked in the build-up. It was a terrible goal to concede.

The O’s remained in control for the bulk of the half, and bookings for both Swinkels and Gabriel Otegbayo left the Owls’ young centre backs walking a bit of a tightrope. Louie Barry came on at the break, taking the place of Liongola – with Gray moving over to the right.

Nothing really changed, though, and it was the hosts who remained in the ascendency. Idris El Mizouni fired a brilliant strike goalwards, but was left with his head in his hands after it rocketed back off Lumley’s post. It would’ve been a fantastic goal.

Wednesday did respond well to that scare, in fairness. Jamal Lowe even had the ball in the back of the net as he finished off a lovely Owls move, but he was judged to be offside and the score remained level.

After a quiet afternoon, Lowe seemed to come alive. That goal didn’t count, but he came close again moments later only to see Baxter claw his effort off the line… He must’ve thought it wasn’t going to happen for him, but more good work from Wednesday saw the Owls’ number nine yanked down in the box. Penalty.

Barry Bannan originally picked up the ball, but handed it to Lowe as he approached the spot. After scoring the winner against Bolton Wanderers, the attacker made no mistake from 12 yards out - sending Baxter the wrong way to make it 2-1.

What followed was a period that should have seen Wednesday home and dry. First it was Harry Gray, who was found on his own in the box but couldn’t find a way past the Orient ‘keeper, and then came an incredible miss from the most unlikely of sources…

Bannan did everything right as he clipped the ball around Baxter before bearing down on goal, but instead of rolling it into an open net he put the ball wide of the mark. We’d have put our collective houses on him finishing that off, I think.

On came Liam Cooper and Mason Burstow as Swinkels and Gray took their leave, and Wednesday looked relatively in control. Barry almost made it three, but saw his curling effort tipped wide excellently by Baxter - who’d been excellent since his early error.

Orient huffed and puffed, but Wednesday stood firm. Pedersen’s side have now won three games in a row, and - for now at least - find themselves in the top six. It wasn’t pretty, but a victory is a victory.

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Henrik Pedersen’s men came out on top at a refurbished Hillsborough on Saturday afternoon, seeing off Championship outfit, Bolton Wanderers, with a 1-0 victory.

In many ways, the first half was exactly as you’d expect from a first round Carabao Cup tie ahead of a new league campaign…

The Championship side had the better of it, the League One side had a moment or two, but ultimately it felt like the final preseason game before the real thing gets underway. Given the sheer amount of debutants from an Owls perspective, Pedersen won’t have been too upset by what he saw.

There were still some cobwebs to shake off, and you could see by some of the loose passes and loose touches that it was another step up towards properly competitive action… And that went for both teams.

Ruben Rodrigues had a couple of chances for the visitors, and Callum Slattery fired wide of the mark. Steven Schumacher’s men had some joy down Wednesday’s right-hand side, and Harry Gray started to have the same at the other end as the tie went on.

Both Slattery and Gray looked bright, showcasing some neat footwork at various different points, while Jordi Liongola has the makings of an intriguing footballer. The Burundi international didn’t have the perfect debut, but showed enough sparks of quality in the opening stanza to offer optimism for what’s to come from him.

Defensively the Owls looked shaky at times, but that shouldn’t come as a shock considering the summer of change that’s unfolded, but Joe Lumley looked solid and did everything he needed to do between the sticks.

The half-time whistle came and went, and Pedersen left things as they were after the break. It felt like the right decision, too, with the Owls coming out of the blocks brightly as they attacked the Kop end.

It didn’t take long for another flash point, either. With just under an hour played, Gray yanked at Xavier Simons’ shirt for one of the clearest fouls and bookings you’ll ever see… Simons’ reaction, though, was inexplicable.

With his right arm the midfielder swung a punch into the gut of the 17-year-old, prompting an immediate coming together of both sets of players – and there were no complaints from him as he trudged off the field having been given his marching orders. A ludicrous decision from the former Chelsea man, and the Owls had a numerical advantage.

And it didn’t take Pedersen long to react. After letting the game settle, he looked to his bench for changes. Jamal Lowe and Louie Barry came on, replacing Mason Burstow and Jarvis Thornton – more attackers on the pitch.

Lowe’s impact was almost immediate, too. Seven minutes after coming on he found himself through on goal after a sumptuous ball from Barry Bannan found him behind enemy lines, and he did brilliantly to loop the ball over Jack Bonham. It wasn’t an easy finish, but bloody hell did he take it well.

The Owls were in the ascendancy, building momentum from the sending-off, and with a stronger pool of players to delve into, Pedersen finally has the ability to affect things positively. Will Grainger and Sean Fusire came on, Harry Gray and Barry Bannan made way, with the hosts chasing a second.

Sil Swinkels went close, forcing Bonham into a save at his near post, and Bolton’s early promise had almost entirely disappeared. Barry looked a threat, and Wednesday looked organised. Liam Palmer took to the field late on as Yan Valery - whose future remains in doubt - limped off.

So much of last season felt rinse and repeat. Play ok, hold your own, run out of steam, and eventually lose… A tough season lies ahead, but it was nice to see that pattern change. Today the Owls grew into the game, got better as it went on, utilised a bolstered bench and finished the job. 1-0 and into the second round.

A home victory… Feels good doesn’t it?

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Bannan was weaving,
Shouting blokes, more minutes it brings,
The rhythm is calling,
Seestadt is a sight as the daylight brings,
A new empty stadium,
The warmth in the stands and a clear blue sky,
50 lads go the distance…

The image is one, through Pedersen’s eye,
It means nothing to me,
This result means nothing to me,
Oh, Vienna.

It’s hard not to have Ultravox running through your head when you’re in the Austrian capital, and that was certainly the case as we sat through 140 minutes of football at the OFB Campus this afternoon.

There’s certainly no need for panic as Henrik Pedersen tries out his different options, but what was glaringly apparent, however, is the need for more bodies through the door at Hillsborough.

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Wearing the number 11, the Owls academy graduate would have his hands full against a Nigerian side full of impressive young talents who are looking to stake their claim for places in Eric Chelle’s first-choice group of players.

The game took place at Charlton Athletic’s stadium in London, with The Valley hosting four games in this competition. The team in yellow were underdogs going into this one, and that came as no surprise.

It didn’t take the men in white long to make their mark in the tie, either, with Femi Azeez the man to break the deadlock - after just five minutes. The talented Millwall man, who has got plenty of potential suitors this summer, fizzed a lovely strike past Future Sibanda in goal to give the Warriors the worst possible start.

Kaitano Tembo’s men rallied well, though, and made sure the Super Eagles didn’t run away with things in the English capital. The southern Africans grew into the game as time went on, as did Fusire himself as he found more and more joy as the half went on.

Some nice touches raised some cheers from the crowd, as did a crunching tackle just before the break. He could’ve picked up an assist as well, but the on-rushing Tawanda Chirewa couldn’t convert his cutback cross.

Fusire’s first full 90 on the international stage

The Zimbabweans went into the break 1-0 down, but with plenty still to play for and a growing confidence that they could get back into the clash when they returned for the second stanza.

Tembo’s troops started brightly, too, and continued to ask questions of the Nigerians, with Fusire bombing up and down the right side energetically, but Chelle’s men held firm… Then they made it two.

It was Azeez again who got the goal, firing home from close range to put the result beyond doubt. Even with this second-string Super Eagles outfit, any sort of comeback was improbable.

The young Owl kept going, and had another half chance after some good attacking play with 20 minutes left to play - however it didn’t come to anything.

As you’d expect in a friendly encounter, the changes came thick and fast as the game wrapped up, but Fusire was one that remained, completing his first 90 minutes at international level in doing so. While a 2-0 defeat will have been disappointing, it’s more experience under the 20-year-old’s belt.

Zimbabwe will be back in action in the third-place play-off on May 30th, where they’ll go up against either India or Jamaica, with those two battling it out - also at the Valley - tomorrow night.

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