An exceptional performance from Barry Bannan with two goals and two assists ensured that the Owls took all three points after an early scare in a 5-2 win against a struggling Burton Albion side.
The win against the Brewers caused Wednesday to leapfrog Sunderland and move up to 5th in the league. Darren Moore’s side have now won 21 points from an available 24 equalling their best run since their promotion in the 2011/2012 season.
The home side made two changes to the side that beat Charlton 2-0 at the weekend, with Geroge Byers left out of the squad due to a minor injury and Saido Berahino dropping to the bench. They were replaced by Sylla Sow and Lewis Gibson. For the visitors, there were wholesale changes with five players coming into the starting eleven as the Brewers looked to end their winless rut. Most notably among the incoming players were former Everton forward Oumar Niasse and former Blade Adlène Guedioura.
Sheffield Wednesday came out the blocks the better side and found the opener in the 12th minute. A delightful cross from Johnson just missed the run of Patterson; however, it didn’t evade the run of Palmer, who arrived at the back post and steered the ball beyond the stranded keeper. Wednesday dominated after the goal, with Patterson coming close to adding a second before Barry Bannan inched into the box and struck the ball in off the post for his sixth goal of the season. However, Wednesday’s 2-0 lead was short-lived with midfielder Guedioura seeing his effort from distance take a deflection which wrong-footed keeper Peacock-Farrell. At the break, Wednesday took in a deserved 2-1 lead.
There was a frantic start to the second half with both sides having chances, but it was Burton’s Niasse who got the first goal after the break. He received a ball from Kokolo on the edge of the box and managed to hold off two Wednesday defenders who should’ve done better before trickling a shot past the keeper to make it 2-2.
Wednesday immediately set out to attack the Brewers with boss Darren Moore bringing on Saido Berahino for Sylla Sow in the 59th minute. Wednesday had several chances to retake the lead with substitute Berahino blazing his half volley over the bar from the 6-yard box. It was in the 67th minute when the Owls restored their lead after Bannan’s corner bounced through the Brewers’ six-yard box, and Patterson was there to knock the ball in.
Wednesday continued to dominate as the Brewer’s legs grew tired and were able to consolidate their lead after a Bannan corner was cleared only as far as the edge of the box where Johnson fired a half volley into the top corner.
However, the pick of the bunch was saved to the 87th minute when Bannan picked the ball up on the edge of the area and magnificently curled the ball beyond the hapless figure of Garratt to cap off his ten out of ten performance.
Wednesday continued to strengthen their grip on the playoff places being relentless in attack. However, they were prone to defensive mistakes which better sides will punish.
Sheffield Wednesday: Peacock-Farrell; Storey, Hutchinson, Gibson (Iorfa 84’); Palmer, Luongo (Brennan 90’), Bannan, Johnson; Paterson, Sow (Berahino 60’). Unused subs: Wildsmith, Brown, Kamberi, Waldock.
Burton Albion: Garratt; Hughes, Brayford, Borthwick-Jackson; Hamer, Oshilaja, Guedioura (Lakin 86’), Kokolo; Powell; Yahyai (Smith 79’), Niasse (Saydee 86’). Unused subs: Kovar, Chapman, Shaughnessy, Mancienne.
Bookings: Sheffield Wednesday: Hutchinson 81’, Patterson 93’.
Burton Albion: Niasse 25’, Oshilaja 77’.
Goals: Sheffield Wednesday: Palmer 13’, Bannan 28’, 87’, Paterson 67’, Johnson 75’.
Burton Albion: Guedioura 30’, Niasse 53’.
Attendance: 20,309
Referee: Samuel Barrott
