Championship
Sheff WedSheffield Wednesday2WycombeWycombe Wanderers0

Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 Wycombe Wanderers: Owls move out of drop zone

Jordan Rhodes
Jordan Rhodes' opener was just his third goal of the season for Sheffield Wednesday

Sheffield Wednesday moved out of the Championship drop zone with victory over bottom side Wycombe Wanderers, who remain in deep relegation trouble.

Jordan Rhodes gave the hosts a first-half lead at a snowy Hillsborough with a fine cushioned header from Kadeem Harris' dinked cross.

Adebayo Akinfenwa, captaining Wycombe on his first start since 26 December, spurned their best chance of the game before the break when he headed straight at Keiren Westwood.

The Owls continued to create the better opportunities in the second half but their goal to make it 2-0 had a huge slice of fortune about it.

Harris' blocked shot fell to Adam Reach, whose 25-yard strike took a huge deflection off Anthony Stewart and wrongfooted Wycombe goalkeeper Ryan Allsop.

Wycombe are still 12 points from safety having won one of their past 17 league matches, while Sheffield Wednesday's form under interim boss Neil Thompson continues to give them hope of survival.

Since Tony Pulis was sacked on 28 December, the Owls have won five of their seven Championship fixtures and are now out the relegation zone on goal difference, with Derby falling below them.

Reach's deflected second goal was harsh on Allsop who had kept Wycombe in the game up until then, saving efforts from Barry Bannan, Callum Paterson and Rhodes.

But Wanderers were limited to just two shots on target, one in each half, with Stewart's close-range strike adding to Akinfenwa's header.

Sheffield Wednesday interim manager Neil Thompson told BBC Radio Sheffield:

"First half I thought we were really good. We knew what to expect, we knew they would be direct and they are a handful, deal with Akinfenwa, deal with second balls.

"We knew that when we did get possession the areas we could exploit were the wide areas. That's why I went with two wing backs and they got forward and got the ball in the box.

"If you keep putting the ball in the box you're going to get an opportunity and we did that."

Wycombe manager Gareth Ainsworth told BBC Three Counties Radio:

"Disappointing again. I thought we looked more aggressive but again we failed to really register anything on the opposition's goal.

"The boys are giving everything. It was tough, it was a tough pitch to play on, a difficult night, but again mistakes have cost us, especially for the second goal.

"I can point fingers at people and we will do behind closed doors."

Line-ups

Sheff Wed

Formation 5-3-2

  • 1Westwood
  • 7K Harris
  • 15Lees
  • 23Dunkley
  • 19Urhoghide
  • 11Reach
  • 26Shaw
  • 6Hutchinson
  • 10BannanSubstituted forPelupessyat 87'minutes
  • 5Paterson
  • 20RhodesSubstituted forKachungaat 81'minutes

Substitutes

  • 2Palmer
  • 8Pelupessy
  • 13Börner
  • 14Penney
  • 17Dele-Bashiru
  • 18Windass
  • 24Brown
  • 28Wildsmith
  • 45Kachunga

Wycombe

Formation 4-3-3

  • 1Allsop
  • 26McCarthy
  • 5Stewart
  • 6TafazolliBooked at 63mins
  • 27ObitaBooked at 47mins
  • 33MehmetiSubstituted forMuskweat 71'minutes
  • 18Thompson
  • 28Ofoborh
  • 11KashketSubstituted forMcClearyat 71'minutes
  • 20AkinfenwaSubstituted forIkpeazuat 62'minutes
  • 17HorganSubstituted forOnyedinmaat 71'minutes

Substitutes

  • 3Jacobson
  • 7Wheeler
  • 9Ikpeazu
  • 12Knight
  • 15Muskwe
  • 19McCleary
  • 23Onyedinma
  • 25Samuel
  • 32Anderson
Referee:
Gavin Ward

Match Stats

Home TeamSheff WedAway TeamWycombe
Possession
Home52%
Away48%
Shots
Home15
Away6
Shots on Target
Home8
Away2
Corners
Home9
Away2
Fouls
Home14
Away14

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Sheffield Wednesday 2, Wycombe Wanderers 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Sheffield Wednesday 2, Wycombe Wanderers 0.

  3. Post update

    Cheyenne Dunkley (Sheffield Wednesday) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  4. Post update

    Foul by Uche Ikpeazu (Wycombe Wanderers).

  5. Post update

    Foul by Kadeem Harris (Sheffield Wednesday).

  6. Post update

    Fred Onyedinma (Wycombe Wanderers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  7. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Joey Pelupessy (Sheffield Wednesday) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Elias Kachunga.

  8. Post update

    Joey Pelupessy (Sheffield Wednesday) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  9. Post update

    Foul by Ryan Tafazolli (Wycombe Wanderers).

  10. Post update

    Offside, Wycombe Wanderers. Uche Ikpeazu tries a through ball, but Admiral Muskwe is caught offside.

  11. Post update

    Foul by Elias Kachunga (Sheffield Wednesday).

  12. Post update

    Ryan Tafazolli (Wycombe Wanderers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  13. Substitution

    Substitution, Sheffield Wednesday. Joey Pelupessy replaces Barry Bannan.

  14. Post update

    Foul by Cheyenne Dunkley (Sheffield Wednesday).

  15. Post update

    Anthony Stewart (Wycombe Wanderers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  16. Post update

    Corner, Sheffield Wednesday. Conceded by Jason McCarthy.

  17. Substitution

    Substitution, Sheffield Wednesday. Elias Kachunga replaces Jordan Rhodes.

  18. Post update

    Foul by Sam Hutchinson (Sheffield Wednesday).

  19. Post update

    Uche Ikpeazu (Wycombe Wanderers) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  20. Post update

    Attempt saved. Anthony Stewart (Wycombe Wanderers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Garath McCleary.

As It Stood

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Norwich28167535231255
2Brentford27159352272554
3Swansea27158435152053
4Reading27146740291148
5Watford28139631201148
6Bournemouth28129743281545
7Middlesbrough28117103128340
8Blackburn271161041291239
9Stoke2891273229339
10Bristol City28123132933-439
11Cardiff28107113732537
12Preston28113143236-436
13Barnsley27106112934-536
14Millwall2871472626035
15Luton2797112229-734
16QPR2789102632-633
17Huddersfield2896133139-833
18Nottm Forest2888122530-532
19Coventry28710112637-1131
20Rotherham2785143338-529
21Sheff Wed2897122130-928
22Derby2777131728-1128
23Birmingham28610122134-1328
24Wycombe2737171847-2916
View full Championship table