Blood and butts: On-the-whistle report as Sheffield Wednesday see off Leyton Orient
It wasn't the prettiest game you'll ever see, but Sheffield Wednesday's 2026/27 League One campaign starts with a win.
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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How!? The players are still on the pitch and up pops your match report! 🤣
Really was a terrible first half. But some of the attacking play in the second half was encouraging.
Burstowe looked sharper than last week. I will say the usual suspects were our weak links today.
Jamal Lowe - not Max Lowe.