Silly seven minutes costs Owls the game

A crazy seven minute spell midway through the first half cost Wednesday three league points in what was there first league loss of the year. Results elsewhere meant the Owls slipped back into the bottom three of the Division One standings.

The game had started with so much promise for the home side but the Owls failed to take their chances. Some awful defending was to blame for all three of Palace's goals as Steve Bruce's men gained revenge for their penalty shoot-out loss here in the Worthington League Cup earlier this season.

Shefki Kuqi was back in the Wednesday line-up as the Finnish striker proved his fitness to Terry Yorath in time before the game. Gerald Sibon dropped into midfield whilst Matthew Hamshaw was dropped to the substitutes bench, despite some promising performances of late.

As early as the seventh minute the Owls were pressuring the Palace backline. Shefki Kuqi's header from an Alan Quinn corner flashed past the wrong side of the post. Five minutes later Palace midfielder Jamie Smith was testing on-loan keeper Paul Heald with a fine shot that the Wimbledon man was equal to.

Efan Ekoku's 15th minute shot flew just over the bar - as the big Nigerian was determined to make up for his terrible last gasp miss that cost Wednesday a win in the Sheffield derby in midweek.

Palace striker Clinton Morrison broke Wednesday's offside trap in the 30th minute to race clear of the Owls backline. Paul Heald was left with no chance as the youngster smashed home his 18th of the season from just 15 yards out.

Four minutes later it was 0-2. Ashley Westwood's poor backpass got stuck in the Hillsborough mud and Morrison collected the ball before rounding keeper Paul Heald. Dougie Freedman was on hand to bundle the ball into the net to punish Westwood's silly error.

It got worse for Wednesday, and for Westwood, two minutes later as Palace amazingly grabbed their third goal inside of a seven minute spell. Westwood gave away possession to Freedman who set up Jamie Smith to drive home. The Owls centre-back came under criticism from the home crowd and so quite rightly Yorath pulled the 25 year old off at half-time and sent on Derek Geary.

Before that though Wednesday did manage to pull one back. An unmarked Efan Ekoku grabbed his 9th goal of the season from close range with a spectacular diving header - ironically a similar situation he found himself in those dying moments at Bramall Lane.

Half-time: Owls 1-3 Palace

Yorath would've read the riot act to his players the break - but just four minutes into the second half it was nearly 1-4. Clinton Morrison began to celebrate his second of the game after tapping in Kirovski's cross, before realising the goal had been ruled out because of an offside decision.

The second half on a whole was almost a non-affair. Wednesday came close to grabbing a second on a few occasions. Owls skipper Trond-Egil Soltvedt might've done better with his back post header that went wide, and neither sub Pablo Bonvin or Shefki Kuqi could put the ball in the back of the net in a goalmouth scramble later in the game.

The result of the game though never seemed in doubt. The Owls now face two important games in a week. Firstly the re-scheduled trip to Deepdale to face Preston North End, then next Saturday the crunch fixture against fellow strugglers Walsall at Bescot Stadium.