Canaries crush relegation threatened Owls

The year 2001 ended with a crushing home defeat for the Owls, and some definate New Years resolutions needed in place for 2002 if Wednesday are to turn their fortunes around. Just one win in their last ten league games has seen the Owls slip back into the bottom three and the 5-0 thrashing by Nigel Worthington's high flying Canaries side saw Terry Yorath's men sink to second off bottom, just one place above the relegation destined Stockport County.

Yorath was left humiliated and disgusted after his players put in an effort not worthy of the blue and white colours of Sheffield Wednesday. Injuries and suspensions haven't helped matters in the past few weeks, but there were to be no excuses for what was an all round poor team performance.

Many Owls fans might've considered grabbing their belongings and leaving at half-time yesterday as the home side found themselves down 4-0 at the midpoint of the game. It's the second time this season the Owls defence has caved in, after Kevin Keegan's Manchester City side put six past Wednesday back in September.

Matthew Hamshaw and Phil O'Donnell returned to the side from injury, whilst Paul McLaren regained his place in midfield alongside Steven Haslam. Owls skipper Trond-Egil Soltvedt was switched the left hand side of midfield. For McLaren, it would turn out to be a nightmare of an afternoon.

The rout began just five minutes into the game. Matthew Hamshaw's weak backpass to Derek Geary was easily intercepted by City fullback Darren Kenton, who charge into the Wednesday penalty area and slipped the ball past Kevin Pressman. Ten minutes later the Owls nearly levelled the scores. Gerald Sibon, in search of his 10th goal of the season, had a 25 yard shot rebound back off the crossbar. That would be about where Wednesday's luck ran out for the afternoon.

Norwich went 2-0 up just over a minute after Sibon's close effort. Kenton, again involved, headed the ball over the Owls defence and David Nielsen couldn't believe his luck when he found himself in acres of space and goal bound. Danny Maddix half heartedly appealed for offside before trying to catch up to Nielsen. He failed to do so and the Norwich midfielder curled the ball just inside Pressman's left hand post.

In the 18th minute Paul McLaren picked up the first booking of the day. Two minutes later his reckless challenge on Brian McGovern saw him receive his second yellow and his orders for an early bath. The ugly looking two footed challenge was lucky to not be seen as a straight red card offence. The Owls were 2-0 and a player down, but things were to turn much worse for Wednesday.

With just 26 minutes gone on the clock the visitors grabbed a third, arguably the killer goal. City forward Paul McVeigh split the Owls defence with a clever through ball that was picked up by Nielsen. The midfielder raced into the Owls box, holding off the challenge of a slow Danny Maddix, before firing in a low shot past Pressman from a tight angle. It was his second of the game and Norwich's third.

That prompted Yorath to make his first change of the day - bringing on Swedish winger Bojan Djordjic on for Phil O'Donnell. The on-loan Manchester United man nearly made an immediate impact too but his 33rd minute shot was deflected wide.

Wednesday's first half misery was complete in the 37th minute when Alex Notmon's lobbed cross was headed back across goal by the ever present Kenton, where McVeigh turned the ball into the net from close range with the greatest of ease. No more than four Wednesday defenders in the penalty box could even get close to stopping the visitors for their fourth goal.

The Owls, quite deservedly, went in at half-time to a chorus of boo's from the majority of the 19,000 crowd that turned up.

Half-time: Owls 0-4 Norwich

Wednesday fans might've been dreading a scoreline of double figures the way their side was playing, but the second half was to be a much more sold defensive performance to simply avoid further embarassment. There were chances at both ends in the second period.

Efan Ekoku, Marlon Broomes and Gerald Sibon all had shots saved by Norwich keeper Robert Green. At the other end McVeigh was unlucky not to grab his second of the game with a shot in the 75th minute that cannoned back off Pressman's crossbar.

It wasn't to matter as two minutes later Norwich grabbed their fifth and final goal of the match. Midfielder Gary Holt fired in a superb 30 yard effort to wrap up the game for City. There was nearly a late consolation for Wednesday, as with just four minutes left substitute Darel Russell nearly turned the ball into his own net from a Djordjic corner.

The Owls have three days to buck up their ideas before they travel to Deepdale for the first game of 2002 at Preston North End.