Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 Millwall F.C.
Owls win their first game of the campaign against a battling Millwall side
A superb Barry Bannan strike put Wednesday into the lead after they started the game energetically and with a lot of promise. Captain Tom Lees double the lead in the second half but a misjudgement from the centre-half allowed Millwall to pull a goal back which created a nervous last twenty minutes of the game.
Last campaign was two polar opposite seasons for both sides. As previously mentioned, Sheffield Wednesday had a very poor year as they slumped to a fifteenth place finish in a massive injury hit season. Where as Millwall shocked the odds as they finished eighth in the Championship after being promoted through the play-offs in 2017.
Contrary to Wednesday’s opening games, the Owls started this contest empathically by pressing Millwall high up the pitch and played quick intricate passes that troubled the visitors.
The home side had the first chance of the game. Marco Matias slalomed his way towards the right hand side. Matias temporarily deposited the ball with Bannan before receiving it back towards the byline where he crossed into the middle for Steven Fletcher whose header was held by Archer.
Minutes later, James Meredith sent a teasing ball towards the back stick where Jordan Thorniley made an excellent block to deny Morison an attempt on goal.
On the tenth minute mark, Sheffield Wednesday countered from a Millwall attack after Tom Lees made a vital tackle to stop Lee Gregory from hitting a shot goalwards. The ball was pumped up field to Fletcher who turned and slipped Preston down the right. Preston, who was making his full debut for the Owls, cut the ball back for the on-rushing Matias but defender Jake Cooper managed to get a touch on the ball and send it away from the Portuguese forward.
Wednesday took the lead in the sixteenth minute. Adam Reach cleverly weaved his way onto the left wing before seeing his cross poorly defended by Tunnicliffe as his awful first touch set the volley up for Barry Bannan who dispatched it perfectly into the top right hand corner.
Moments later, Pelupessy tried a long range effort from thirty-five yards out but he saw his well struck effort go inches over the bar.
Towards the end of the first half, Barry Bannan’s free-kick was powered across goal and wide by Jordan Thorniley. Fletcher hit it back across goal and Tom Lees tapped it in however, the linesman raised his flag as he judged the ball to have gone out.
On the stroke of half-time, Millwall had two chances to level the fixture. James Meredith floated a cross towards the back area of the six yard box where Steve Morison rose highest but headed tamely into the hands of Dawson. Then in stoppage time, Jake Cooper glanced Saville’s corner wide of the far post and the referee blew for half-time.
Wednesday doubled their lead in the first minute of the second half. Marco Matias won a free-kick on the left side of the final third. Bannan’s well delivered set-piece was glanced on by Fletcher and scuffed by Cooper into the path of Tom Lees who lifted the ball over the out-rushing Jordan Archer.
Liam Palmer then hit a volley high across the face of goal which never really troubled the keeper.
Millwall pulled a goal back with twenty minutes to go. Jed Wallace’s pump upfield caused a problem for Tom Lees as the Owls skipper intended to head the ball back to the keeper but instead flicked it on for Lee Gregory who cut inside and threaded the ball into the middle for Tunnicliffe who slammed the ball into the back of the net.
Momentum had shifted into the away sides favour. Tom Elliott nodded the ball down to Wallace who kneed the ball up before striking a dipping volley just over the bar.
With two minutes to go, Wednesday should of put the game to bed. Bannan played a one-two with Adam Reach before sharply cutting inside the body of Skalak. Bannan put the ball towards the back stick where Nuhiu, on the stretch, poked it high over the bar.
The visitors thought they had equalised in injury time. Skalak’s corner was head back into the middle by Hutchinson for Cooper whose acrobatic effort was superbly blocked on the line by Liam Palmer. Gregory hit the rebound towards goal but that was brilliantly saved by Dawson who subsequently dived on the ball to deny Millwall any more attempts.
A minute later, Forestieri made his way into the box from out wide but he hit his shot well wide of the far post.
The Lions won a free-kick right at the death but that was nodded away to safety by Nuhiu and the referee blew for full-time.
A much needed and welcomed three points for the Owls who next face struggling Ipswich Town at Hillsborough on Saturday.
As for the opposition, they travel back to South Yorkshire to face Rotherham United on Sunday.
Attendance: 21,349
Goals: Bannan (16’), Lees (46’); Tunnicliffe (72’)
Sheffield Wednesday: Cameron Dawson, Liam Palmer, Tom Lees, Jordan Thorniley, Matt Penney, Barry Bannan, Joey Pelupessy, Fraser Preston (George Boyd), Adam Reach, Marco Matias (Fernando Forestieri), Steve Fletcher (Atdhe Nuhiu)
Unused Subs: Joe Wildsmith, Morgan Fox, Sam Hutchinson, Jack Lee
Millwall FC: Jordan Archer, Mahlon Romeo, Shaun Hutchinson, Jake Cooper, James Meredith, Jed Wallace, Ryan Tunnicliffe, George Saville (Conor McLaughlin), Aiden O’Brien (Jiri Skalak), Lee Gregory, Steve Morison (Tom Elliott)
Unused Subs: Ben Amos, Murray Wallace, Shane Ferguson, Fred Onyedinma
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