Wednesday 0-0 Brentford

Wednesday dropped points at Hillsborough for the first time this season as Brentford travelled back down the M1 with a deserved share of the spoils on Saturday.

Both sides carved out a number of good chances to take all three points from what was an entertaining contest, scoreline aside, but neither could add the finishing touch in front of goal.

The Bees were the happier after the 90 minutes though, something that was obvious from Uwe Rosler, the Brentford manager, from his celebrations at the final whistle.

Looking to make it eight home wins from eight this season, Owls boss Gary Megson stuck with the same starting eleven that defeated Wycombe Wanderers last time out, with Ryan Lowe continuing alongside Chris O’Grady up front in Gary Madine’s suspended absence.

Brentford could have been forgiven for coming to Hillsborough and looking to shut up shop against the side with the best home record in the division, but to their credit they took the game to the Owls and had their fair share of chances.

The creative Sam Saunders led the majority of the Brentford attacks as the visitors started brightly, having the best of the early possession. They had the first shot on target when Saunders whipped in a free-kick following a clumsy James O’Connor foul, Gary Alexander heading just over Stephen Bywater’s goal.

Wednesday always responded and it was through that man O’Connor. Much to the surprise of the 18,000-plus inside S6, the midfielder rose to strike an ambitious over-head kick which Brentford stopper Richard Lee did well to save.

The Bees continued their search to sting Wednesday early on but they were restricted to long range efforts, Saunders seeing a free-kick turned around the post by Bywater before lashing a low effort wide of goal.

The Owls’ best early chance came through the industry of wing wizard Ben Marshall. The Stoke City loanee spun round his markers before dinking over an impressive cross for skipper Rob Jones, who placed his header wide.

Marshall, as has been the case in recent matches, looked to be Wednesday’s biggest threat and he was causing the Brentford defence all kinds of problems with his winding runs, and a couple of shots which went into the side netting.

The game evened out in terms of chances and possession but Brentford certainly had the best chance to find the breakthrough ten minutes before the interval.

Miguel Llera powered a thumping header which came crashing back off the crossbar from a Saunders corner kick. Then Clayton Donaldson headed over when he really should have done better.

At the other end Marshall again did well to get a sight of goal and forced Lee into a good low save before Danny Batth saw a chance come and go when he headed wide from a corner, one of a series from the Owls that forced the Bees into some desperate defending.

Perhaps the Owls’ best chance fell to Chris Lines just inside the box but, with the ball calling out to be drilled into the back of the net, he scuffed his effort and the visitors cleared the danger.

Half-Time: Wednesday 0-0 Brentford

Wednesday made a change at the interval with Liam Palmer coming on to replace Lines, meaning O’Connor moved into the centre of midfielder and Palmer took his position out wide on the right.

It wasn’t long before Megson made another change, bringing Jermaine Johnson on for O’Connor with the hope of creating more chances in the final third – Palmer moved into the centre of the park to accommodate him.

To a certain extent it worked, with Wednesday carving out more chances in front of goal, although the visitors were equally as threatening at the other end.

The Owls were inches away from the breakthrough when Lewis Buxton got free down the right before providing a superb ball across the six yard box that Lowe came inches away from connecting to.

O’Grady and Marshall had also gone close for Wednesday early in the second half, while at the other end Bywater had to be alert to plenty of Brentford pressure around his box but he wasn’t really tested.

The hosts were left wondering if it was just going to be one of those days in front of goal with 20 minutes to go when Rob Jones saw his effort somehow diverted off the line and cleared to safety. Marshall provided a dangerous cross and Jones got his head to it but a Brentford man got his body in the way and the visitors cleared to safety.

Lowe also went through on goal following a neat pass down the middle of the pitch but he didn’t have the pace to beat two Bees defenders. O’Grady, too, beat the Brentford offside trap to latch on to a long ball foreard but the stubborn and well-organised Brentford defence ushered him away from goal.

The closest Brentford came to causing an upset was when Niall McGinn saw his effort blocked by Jones and Bywater cleared up the danger.

Wednesday’s cause wasn’t helped with an injury to Jose Semedo, with Clinton Morrison coming on to replace him. The absence of the Portugal midfield man messed with Wednesday’s fluidity and both sides had to settle for a share of the spoils.

Full-Time: Wednesday 0-0 Brentford

Owls: Bywater, Buxton, Jones, Batth, Reynolds, Marshall, Lines (Palmer 46), Semedo (Morrison 67, O’Connor (J Johnson 50), O’Grady, Lowe. Unused substitutes: O’Donnell, Bennett.

Brentford: Lee, O’Connor, Woodman, Eger, Saunders (Weston 73), Douglas, Donaldson, McGinn (Logan 86), Diagouraga, Llera, Alexander (Bean 79) . Unused substitutes: Devlin, Grella.