Wednesday frustration as Coventry hold on
The Owls came away from their home fixture against Coventry City with just one point when, in a repeat of last week's performance, a 2-0 defeat away to Leeds, when it should've been all three points. This game was seen as a must win for Wednesday by many, and so to have been held out 0-0 at home puts further pressure on Danny Wilson and his players.
Wednesday are still bottom of the table with just five points from their first twelve games, and despite definite improvement in their play they just haven't managed, at least yet, to string a series of wins together.
They've shown in weeks gone by that there is life after Carbone and that the little Italian, now at Aston Villa until the end of the season, was not the only player in the team able to perform. Despite this you just get the feeling a player of his sublime skill just might've changed a game like this one.
There was no change in the team's lineup - Pavel Srnicek keeping his place in the side despite last week's blunder that resulted in Leeds' youngster Alan Smith breaking the 0-0 deadlock, and going on to seal the game with ease.
There would be no queries as to who was Man of the Match, Sweden's number one keeper Magnus Hedman pulled off several top class saves to keep the Sky Blues in the game. Coventry had very few chances but those that did fall their way were wasted.
Some of the early chances of the game fell to Gilles de Bilde, who failed to continue where he left off at Hillsborough, with two goals and an allround fine performance in the 5-1 win over Wimbledon, and after being sent through by Wim Jonk's ball his effort was blocked by Hedman. Moments later Niclas Alexandersson's half-volley from a corner went narrowly over the bar with the Coventry keeper beaten.
De Bilde again came close when his shot, following some good skill in a tightly packed Coventry penalty box, was saved by Hedman. Coventry also came close in the first half when Moroccan star Mustafa Hadji's drive was rising too much, and crashed against the Wednesday crossbar and away to safety, a let off for the Owls. Danny Sonner's diving header moments before the half-time whistle came agonisingly close too, but it was stalemate at half-time with Wednesday the better of the two sides.
Half-time: Owls 0-0 Coventry
The second half saw chances come and go - de Bilde and Andy Booth guilty of sqwandering further chances. The Belgian put in a fine cross for the big Yorkshireman, but his header was too high and went over. The Sky Blues
threatened again when Hadji's pinpoint cross found Scot Gary McAllister whose header was a poor one and the opportunity was gone.
Coventry full-back Steve Froggatt almost scored a freak goal midway through the second period, when an intended cross almost caught out Pavel Srnicek who fumbled the effort before clutching the ball tightly in his arms. Gordan Strachan's side were starting to pick up the pace, but like Wednesday, failed to put away their chances.
At the end of the game it was the other Swede on the pitch, Niclas Alexandersson, that almost made a hero of himself. He came close when Sky Blues' defender Richard Shaw slipped in the box and Alexandersson's reaction effort was pushed away by fellow countryman Hedman.
Indeed in the final minute of the game it looked as though Wednesday had sneaken a late winner when substitute Gerald Sibon setup the Swede whose drive was destined for the corner of the net before Hedman saved the day for his side once again with
a fine save.
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