Stoke stalemate on opening day

For the sixth consecutive season the Owls failed to get off their season with a win, as Division One newcomers Stoke City held Wednesday to a 0-0 stalemate yesterday at Hillsborough. The Owls certainly created the chances to grab the win, but a lack of killing instict infront of goal was their undoing.

It may have been a different story has new strikers Leon Knight and Lloyd Owusu been available for selection. As it was neither Gerald Sibon or Shefki Kuqi could grab the one goal that seemed likely to win this match. Kuqi in particular was guilty of blowing a few good scoring chances. The former Stockport County man continued his miserable pre-season form into the new season.

Yorath's new look 3-5-2 formation was however on the whole a success. The Owls backline of Soltvedt, Burrows and Bromby looked a tight unit throughout the game, and wing-backs Geary and Beswetherick showed promise for the rest of the season.

However the performance of the midfield was what really let the Owls down on the day. Donnelly, Quinn and Armstrong all performed below par. Both Quinn and Donnelly had good chances to get on the scoresheet, but neither player could manage to beat Stoke keeper Neil Cutler.

A healthy looking crowd of 26,746 will have been disappointed but not heart-broken at this season opening result. They'll be hoping for a better result on Tuesday night when the Owls play another newly promoted side in Reading at the Madejski Stadium.

This report from the Sporting-Life website:

Goalkeeper Neil Cutler produced a string of good saves to earn newly-promoted Stoke a point at Sheffield Wednesday. The home side, though missing summer signings Lloyd Owusu and Leon Knight up front, still created enough chances to have secured an opening day win.

Leigh Bromby's second-half header from just three yards brought the best of the saves from former Aston Villa reserve keeper Cutler. And twice inside a minute Wednesday were denied when they tested Cutler from long range.

First Alan Quinn struck a right-footed effort from 25 yards, then the keeper saw Gerald Sibon's 30-yard free-kick late as it came through the wall but still managed to get down smartly. Simon Donnelly missed a good chance after 64 minutes when Derek Geary's cross presented him with a headed chance with Cutler exposed, but his effort went over the crossbar.

Stoke midfielder Kris Commons twice came close to marking his debut with a goal in the first half. He surprised goalkeeper Kevin Pressman with a shot from just inside his own half that only just cleared the crossbar. Three minutes before the break he struck a powerful effort that beat Pressman but came back off the woodwork.

Wednesday dominated for a spell in the first half, Sibon forcing Cutler to tip round his low shot at full stretch. And when Shefki Kuqi set up Quinn in a crowded penalty area, the goalkeeper again got down well to keep out the effort from six yards. Stoke, weakened up front by the absence of summer signing Chris Greenacre, relied on Chris Iwelumo for their main goal threat.

He almost gave them an early lead when his shot from 20 yards was saved, and felt he was denied a penalty late on when Trond Egil Soltvedt challenged him to substitute Brian Wilson's cross.

Half-time: Owls 0-0 Stoke