Awful Owls kick season off badly

After today's showing we could be in for a long season. Despite the optimism around Hillsborough after a good ending to pre-season, the Owls were outclassed by a team who certainly won't be the toughest of opponents Wednesday will come across this season.

Peter Shreeves was without the likes of Kevin Pressman, Andy Hinchcliffe or Ashley Westwood. But there can be few excuses. The Owls were outplayed by an average looking Burnley side. Chris Stringer made the call-up most had expected, with Pressman still not back to full fitness. Danny Maddix and Paul McLaren made their Wednesday debuts, and it was Maddix who nearly made a dream start to his Wednesday career.

Just four minutes into the season opener, featured live on ITV's new satellite sports channel, Maddix struck the crossbar and from the rebound Gerald Sibon was on hand to smash the ball home. Sadly for the home side the goal had already been ruled out by the referee.

In the 8th minute Burnley spurned a great chance to take the lead. Paul Weller's effort from 10 yards was a poor one, Stan Ternent's side wasting their early opportunity.

The rest of the first half was a dull affair, as both sides lacked any real creativity upfront. Shreeves perhaps wrong today in his choice to stick Efan Ekoku upfront as a lone striker, with five in the midfield. However, it was the visitors who looked the more likely to score first. Ex-Sheffield United striker Gareth Taylor hit the upright minutes before the half-time break, after a poor clearance by Ian Hendon.

One of the few moments of entertainment for the home crowd in the first period was when former Owl Lee Briscoe was booked for a cynical foul on Dutchman Gerald Sibon. Briscoe, however, would soon have the last laugh.

Half-time: Owls 0-0 Burnley

Wednesday's heads dropped early in the second half, when in the 57th minute Gareth Taylor rose to head the ball past a despairing Chris Stringer to open the scoring at Hillsborough.

The introduction of youngster's Owen Morrison and Michele Di Piedi sparked a little life into a deflated looking Wednesday team, but it wasn't enough to turn matters around. Di Piedi had a shot go narrowly over the bar, whilst at the other end Burnley skipper Steve Davis nearly grabbed his first for the season.

The game should have been dead and buried with a little over twenty minutes still to play. Armstrong somehow managed to miss from just eight yards out, with Claret's boss Ternent pulling his hair out on the sideline.

The result was put beyond doubt though in the 78th minute. Sibon clumsily bundled over Glen Little in the Wednesday penalty box, and the referee showed no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Controversy was to follow. Paul Cook's spot-kick was brilliantly saved by the young Stringer, but the referee ordered a re-take after having judged Leigh Bromby to have encroached. Cook made no mistake the second time, and the decision seemed to sum up the day for the home team.

Even worse was to follow. Shortly after Cook's penalty, three Wednesday fans were to run onto the field and approach Burnley players. One or two punches were thrown, which sparked Stan Ternent to run onto the field from the Burnley bench. He claimed after the game he was protecting his players, and now it seems likely an FA investigation will take place with the club as to how tight the security is at Hillsborough these days.

It certainly ended the game on an even more sour note for Wednesday. Those fans involved were instantly banned for the rest of the season by the club. All in all a pretty rotten day for the Owls, Peter Shreeves may have quite a task on his hand this season if today's showing is anything to go by.