Second half revival as Owls overcome Rams

The Owls produced an inspired second half performance to overcome a one goal defecit to visiting Derby County to claim a 2-1 win and three very important league points. A few strong words at half time from the Owls coaching staff, and some fresh legs midway through the half, saw Wednesday take the game to a Derby side that would have been kicking themselves for not being two or three goals up at the break.

Instead it was Marcus Tudgay's single strike four minutes before the break that seperated the two sides in a fairly one sided first half. Tudgay leapt high to power a header past debutant Nicky Weaver in the Wednesday goal for 1-0. There was little the Manchester City loanee could have done to prevent the goal in what was a promising first half by the Sheffield born player.

The Owls had competed well early in the half but the Rams slowly stamped their authority on the game and dominated the majority of play throughout the half.

A few strong words at half-time were just what was needed. Wednesday came out looking a hungrier side and almost immediately the defensive pairing of Richard Wood and Graeme Lee looked a tigher unit, winning more headers and more tackles. Burton O'Brien was thrown into the action on the hour mark, and five minutes later David Graham replaced Gaby Agbonlahor upfront.

The changes to the team seemed to thrust Wednesday into gear and with twenty minutes left on the clock they were thrown a lifeline by Chris Brunt's fifth goal of the season. The Owls winger bundled the ball into the net from close range after some excellent work from Lee Peacock to get the cross over.

With the majority of the 26,000 strong crowd behind them the Owls pressed on immediately in search of a second. And they found it from the out of form David Graham, whose low drive under the keeper gave the Owls a 2-1 lead and no doubt a massive boost of confidence for the striker, this only his third goal of the season.

The momentum had totally swung in Wednesday's favour by this time as Rams fans could only sit and watch as their team went on the all-defensive. The Owls thought they had a strong claim for a penalty shortly after when Chris Eagles appeared to be bundled down in the box, only for referee Fletcher to award the decision the other way and book the young winger for diving.

Owls club captain Lee Bullen was thrown on with only minutes remaining to hold up the ball upfront and help ensure the Owls didn't have a repeat of the Watford and Brighton games were leads had been sqwandered to late equalisers. The Owls held for three league points that see them boosted up to 16th in the table with a game in hand over most of the teams around them.

Half-time: Owls 0-2 Derby

Paul Sturrock's post match comments:
"Nicky has come in and done a fantastic job, making three or four quality saves. He's a quality goalie who had a fantastic season when Manchester City got promoted. He's a Sheffield boy, a Wednesday fan and wanted to come. But Derby are the best team who have come here. They battered us early on."

Phil Brown (Derby manager)'s post match comments:
"We could have been two or three up. But we panicked and that seven minutes of madness shows you how fragile we are confidence-wise. Truthfulness is needed now. It's a difficult time and probably confidence is starting to wane. We've got to get out of the form we're in. Things have got to change and it's my job to keep everybody together."