Wednesday suffered their third Championship defeat on the spin at the City Ground as promotion-chasing Nottingham Forest edged the Owls out by a single goal.
Owls defender Miguel Llera, so often on the scoresheet at the right end this season, scored an own with 15 minutes to spare to give Sean O’Driscoll’s men victory in a close-fought contest.
Defeat left Wednesday one place and two points above the relegation zone but things could have been different had Dave Jones’s men take their chances – they created enough.
It’s all about the fine margins in this division, especially this season, and perhaps a bit of luck. Those fine margins, and a bit of luck, went in Forest’s favour on Saturday as Wednesday were left to contemplate another not-too-shabby performance but nothing to show for their efforts.
Jones didn’t make wholesale changes following back-to-back defeats, and he didn’t have a new striker in as desired, but he did bring Nejc Pecnik, who scored twice for his country in midweek, in to the starting line-up. Gary Madine again led the line following his goal against Middlesbrough last time out.
It was Madine, recently linked with a loan move to Swindon Town, who threatened first by forcing Forest goalkeeper Lee Camp into an early save.
Wednesday, backed by almost 5,000 fans sporting tributes to combative midfielder Jose Semedo, made an encouraging start and Camp was the busier of the two stoppers, this time denying Bothroyd’s powerful low effort.
Forest’s first chance fell to the feet of Andy Reid, who found his way through the Owls defence but saw goalkeeper Chris Kirkland come rushing from his line to thwart the danger.
The match started at a fast pace but soon settled down, with Forest enjoying most of the possession but not threatening Kirkland on too many occasions.
The hosts were restricted to long-range efforts, with Jermaine Johnson seeing an attempt deflected wide.
Billy Sharp was big favourite to get on the scoresheet against his old foes but resolute defending by Wednesday thwarted him and strike partner Dexter Blackstock for the first-half.
The Owls finished the half in control, with a number of corner kicks eventually seeing Pecnik fire an effort over the bar.
Jones introduced Jermaine Johnson just six minutes after the restart to add some more bite to the visitors’ attack, but it was Forest who threatened first in the second half when substitute Henri Lansbury tested Kirkland with a lot shot.
The hosts were never to take full control of the encounter, however, and Wednesday more than held their own as they targeted just a second league win away from home this season.
They came close to being on-course for that when Jay Bothroyd’s shot looked goal-bound only for Forest captain Danny Collins to clear the danger away for a corner. Johnson also flashed an effort wide as Wednesday enjoyed a good patch.
Forest continued to be a threat and perhaps should have taken the lead through Lansbury following a well-worked move that carved open the Owls defence.
It proved to be a warning shot as the hosts grabbed the lead in somewhat fortuitous circumstances with 15 minutes to go. Chris Cohen’s cross caused confusion in the Owls defence and Llera headed the ball into the back of the net.
Wednesday didn’t let their heads drop and Madine came agonisingly close to an immediate equaliser but he headed Johnson’s cross wide.
It proved to be the last real chance of the game as the hosts hung on to their lead pretty comfortably to leave Wednesday travelling back up the M1 pointless.
Full-Time: Forest 1-0 Wednesday
Forest: Camp, Gillett, Collins, Cohen, Reid (Lansbury 49), Halford, Moloney, Blackstock, Sharp, Ward, Jenas (Guedioura 55). Unused substitutes: Darlow, McGuigan, Cox, Coppinger, Ayala.
Wednesday: Kirkland, Buxton, Jones (Mayor 81), Llera, Gardner, Barkley, Semedo, Madine, Antonio, Bothroyd, Pecnik (J Johnson 51). Unused substitutes: Bywater, Taylor, Mattock, McCabe, Rodri.
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