Owls let lead slip yet again

Not for the first time this season the Owls let a lead slip. This time a 76th minute equaliser by Coventry City's Normann denied Wednesday an away win. Leon Knight's first goal for the club had sent the Owls on their way in the 58th minute. His finish from just inside the penalty area was crisp and accurate, and the Chelsea youngster will be relieved to finally put one in the back of the net.

Paul McLaren had hit the crossbar twice in the opening half and so it was just what the away side had deserved. Infact, Wednesday dominated the game for a good 80 minutes. But that one lack in concentration cost them two points in the end.

Terry Yorath clearly showed his frustration as the full time whistle blew, but the Welshman later admitted that the performance was good, and that results would start coming Wednesday's way.

This report from the Soccernet.com:

Coventry City substitute Runar Normann scored his first goal for the Sky Blues to earn them a point with a 1-1 draw against Sheffield Wednesday at Highfield Road. Leon Knight's 58th-minute goal for Sheffield Wednesday had put the Owls ahead but former Norway Under-21 international Normann equalised 14 minutes from time.

Wednesday, languishing in the First Division relegation zone, should have taken the lead in an open first half in which goalscoring chances came regularly. Coventry brought in Laurent Delorge and Calum Davenport for skipper John Eustace and Richard Shaw, both of whom dropped to the bench. Terry Yorath stuck with the side who finished Saturday's 2-2 draw with Preston, Alan Quinn replacing former Sky Blue Trond Soltvedt in the starting line-up.

The Wednesday manager had urged his third-bottom team, on a run of four games without defeat, to turn more draws into wins. Craig Armstrong showed their attacking intent with the first shot of the game after two minutes. Leigh Bromby was a bit too keen to impress in the ninth minute, giving away a free-kick 20 yards out and earning himself a yellow card with a clattering challenge on Jay Bothroyd. Bromby had a more positive impact at the other end in the 20th minute, launching one of his huge throw-ins which almost led to a goal.

Shefki Kuqi got in front of his marker to flick it on and Paul McLaren thumped a header against the post. Kuqi's height was causing the home defence all sorts of trouble, but it was on the ground the Finland international should have put his side ahead on the half hour.

Gerald Sibon won the ball in midfield and played Knight through. The on-loan Chelsea forward laid it off for Kuqi but, instead of shooting, the former Stockport striker took a touch and Davenport got back to take it off his toe.

As the interval approached McLaren hit the woodwork for a second time with a header and Coventry will have been by far the happiest to hear the half-time whistle.

Half-time: Coventry 0-0 Owls

With the words of player-manager Gary McAllister ringing in their ears no doubt, Coventry came out firing in the second half and almost took the lead within six minutes. After a melee in the Wednesday area, the ball broke to Bothroyd on the edge of the box.

His shot beat Kevin Pressman but could not beat the woodwork and it came bouncing back off the crossbar. Six minutes later Coventry were behind. McLaren made a great break through the middle and, having been held up, laid the ball back to Knight who side-footed home a soft shot for his first goal in a Wednesday shirt.

McAllister brought on Normann and Eustace for Bothroyd and Dean Gordon in the 69th minute and, within seven minutes, the £1million buy from Lillestrom had got them level. The player-manager danced down the wing and, having beaten two players, whipped in a cracking cross which Normann powered home at the far post.