Dons doom Owls to another defeat

Chris Turner continues in search of a first win as Wednesday manager after another dismal display this weekend. Wimbledon, who just a few weeks ago looked in as much trouble as the Owls, romped to a comfortable 3-0 win over Wednesday, who also had defender Leigh Bromby dismissed.

Bromby tugged at the shirt of Dons' man McAnuff but the red card shown certainly seemed a harsh decision. The young defender will now miss the crucial game at home to Gillingham in a fortnight. He is Wednesday's fifth player to be sent for an early bath this season, but even more worrying for Turner is the lack of discipline in his defence.

Lionel Morgan opened the scoring with a well struck free-kick three minutes before half-time, but the defence may as well have been non-existent for Wimbledon's two second half goals. The towel seems to have been thrown in by one or two players in this side.

Next week the Owls face a real test when Brighton are the visitors to Hillsborough. On this showing Wednesday fans may be set for further heartbreak next weekend.

This report from the Soccernet website:

Sheffield Wednesday manager Chris Turner is still looking for his first win after Wimbledon strolled to a comfortable 3-0 victory at Selhurst Park. Lionel Morgan scored a brilliant free-kick just before half-time to give the Dons the lead and after Leigh Bromby was sent off for a professional foul early in the second half, David Connolly scored his 11th goal in seven games and Neil Shipperley grabbed a late third to seal victory.

Both managers had made three changes to their starting line-ups with Stuart Murdoch handing recalls to Mark Williams, Damien Francis and Morgan at the expense of Darren Holloway, Rob Gier and Trond Andersen. Wednesday boss Turner gave a debut to Wales international defender Ryan Green, a recent signing from Cardiff, and recalled Shefki Kuqi after suspension and Trond Soltvedt from injury. Wimbledon started the quickest, with Joel McAnuff firing in the first shot of the game after six minutes which Kevin Pressman dealt with comfortably.

A minute later in-form striker Connolly put a close-range volley wide when he should have done better. The visitors did test Dons goalkeeper Kelvin Davis midway through the half but Leon Knight's 35-yarder was speculative to say the least. Connolly missed his second gilt-edged chance just after the half-hour, heading wide from six yards when he really should have put his side ahead. Three minutes before half-time, Morgan, in just his second start of a season blighted by injury, took advantage of Derek Geary's dissent to find the net from 18 yards.

Half-time: Wimbledon 1-0 Owls

Bromby's original foul on Shipperley was probably a bit far out for a shot at goal but Geary was booked and the kick marched forward by the referee to the edge of the area and Morgan did the rest. It went from bad to worse for Wednesday seven minutes into the second half when Bromby was sent off for a professional foul on McAnuff and it was no surprise in the 63rd minute when Connolly scored his obligatory goal to make the game safe.

The Republic of Ireland international rounded off a neat move with a precision finish from the edge of the area. It looked a matter of how many Wimbledon would get after that but Pressman made decent saves from Shipperley and Connolly and in the last 20 minutes Wednesday started to show some adventure and push forward looking for a consolation. Kuqi and Lloyd Owusu both tested Davis in the home goal but it wasn't to be and Shipperley scored from close range with a minute left to leave Wednesday next to bottom of the First Division.