Ex-Owl snatches late winner to end unbeaten run

Former Owls winger Owen Morrison returned to Hillsborough and did the dirty on his former employers with a last minute winner to steal all three points for Bradford City, and leave the Owls pointless despite looking strong to take all three. Morrison's goal at the death ended Paul Sturrock's 10 match unbeaten run.

Wednesday started the game half asleep and were a goal behind after just six minutes. Nicky Summerbee finished well from inside the box after being tee'd up by striker Dean Windass. Moments later the Bantams nearly doubled the lead but Windass failed to get on the end of a high-speed Lewis Emanuel cross.

The Owls clawed their way back into the match but were always playing catch up. Graeme Lee latched onto an Adam Green free-kick but the defender's head was turned away by Aussie keeper Paul Henderson. Just before half-time Lee was in the thick of the action again. Jon Paul-McGovern tricked his way past a defender before whipping in a right hand side cross only for Lee's looping header to go agonisingly wide.

Half-time: Owls 0-1 Bradford

Wednesday's best chance of the game would fall to new signing James Quinn in the 52nd minute. Chris Brunt's low shot from the edge of the box was parried by Henderson straight into the path of Quinn, but the Northern Ireland international wrong-footed himself and poked it wide from only a few yards out with the goal unguarded.

Sturrock made changes from the bench giving midfielder Craig Rocastle his first showing in an Owls shirt, and seven minutes later Lee Peacock came on for Quinn. Three minutes after Peacock's introduction the Owls were level. Chris Brunt, no stranger to a free-kick in a dangerous position, crashed a left-foot effort against the underside of the crossbar and Steven MacLean pulled the Owls level after nodding the ball home for his 16th goal of the season.

The Owls pushed on in search of a winner and nearly found it in Glenn Whelan. The Republic of Ireland Youth Player of the Year slammed a low right foot effort from inside the box against the Bradford post.

It was as close as Sturrock's men would get to taking anything from the game as substitute Owen Morrison, trained up as a youngster at Hillsborough, returned to haunt the Owls when he crashed in a last minute winner after Lee Bullen's weak backpass header had been intercepted by Windass. The forward composed himself before contributing his second assist of the game.

Results elsewhere kept the Owls in 4th place in the league but are now tied on points with Hartlepool United, who have three games in hand over Wednesday. Sixth placed Brentford are just two points behind the Owls with two games in hand.

Paul Sturrock's post match comments:
"For the first 20 minutes you'd have thought our back four had never seen each other before. Their front two got too much room and scored a goal which set the tone for the whole 90 minutes. We had to chase the game."

"In the second half we were up to the game, putting our presence on the ball. Apart from the mistake at the end it was probably the best we've played for a month. But at the end of the day our defensive frailties and the decision-making of a defender have cost us dear."

"It could be a very, very costly result for us. A draw was going to be a disappointing one but to take nothing out of the game is a cruel blow."

"Our problem at the minute is that when we cross the ball into the box we're not getting on the end of things. We've got to get a pairing that suits the style we want to play. I've given MacLean and Quinn three games now and I think they'd put their hand up and say neither of them have played well in the three games. Maybe it's about time we give someone else an opportunity."

"It was a tall order to finish in the top two and I think it's near-enough beyond us now. That run has gone now - we've got to lift ourselves, get ready for the next game and make sure we get in the play-offs at the end of the season."

Chris Brunt's post match comments:
"We had loads of chances and were pushing forward and pushing forward so it is a kick in the teeth. That gives Hartlepool another game in hand and they are still on the same points as us. I think we probably outplayed them in the second half. Glenn's hit the post, six inches to the other side and it would have been in the net. But that it was happens if you don't concentrate for the full 90 minutes, you get punished."

AnzOwls Verdict: A cruel blow for Wednesday and that's now just two points from their last three league games. They can ill afford to hit a bad patch at this stage of the season.