Wednesday 0-2 Burnley

Wednesday suffered a New Year’s hangover as Burnley ended the Owls’ four-game unbeaten end to 2012 with a convincing victory at Hillsborough.

Keith Treacy, who spent a spell on-loan with Wednesday from the Clarets last season, came on as a second-half substitute to give the Lancashire side the lead before Ross Wallace’s 76th-minute penalty ensured all three points were going back across the Pennines with the visitors.

It was all they deserved, with Wednesday lacklustre in attack and suffering a dip in the form that pulled them out of the Championship’s bottom three over Christmas. The Clarets were well organised and produced that extra bit of class with the finish to open their year with victory and leave their hosts with plenty to ponder.

Wednesday made two changes to the side that drew 0-0 at Huddersfield Town on Saturday with Joe Mattock replacing the suspended Reda Johnson at left-back and Mamady Sidibe coming back to lead the line.

Both sides started in tentative fashion but the visitors perhaps settled the quicker and came a lick of paint away from taking the lead after 11 minutes. Full-back Kieran Trippier fired an ambitious 30-yard strike that beat Owls goalkeeper Chris Kirkland but came back off the crossbar.

Wednesday started to settle, and started to trouble the Burnley defence – especially Jeremy Helan and Michail Antonio. The two linked well to provide a deep ball for Kieran Lee, who forced a headed effort on goal but saw former Wednesday stopper Lee Grant turn the ball behind for a corner.

The Owls enjoyed a good spell of possession, forcing a number of corners they looked dangerous from, but the visitors continued to carve out the more clear cut chances.

Jason Shackell had a good chance to fire his side ahead with a half-volley before Sam Vokes should have done better when presented with a glorious opportunity from a Trippier cross but the striker failed to make sufficient contact with the ball.

The tempo died down as the end of the first-half approached, but it certainly picked up on the resumption as the Owls were left wondering just how they hadn’t taken the lead.

Jeremy Helen made a good run forward and pulled a superb ball back for Lee, left unmarked at the edge of the box, only for the defender-turned-midfielder to see his powerful shot blocked and Antonio to suffer the same fate when striking the rebound.

Wednesday started the second half well but after their initial attacking flourish on the restart the chances started to dry up as the visitors gradually got back into the game.

The hosts needed a change and boss Jones brought on Chris O’Grady for Sidibe – but it could’t change Wednesday’s attacking fortunes.

Instead, Burnley looked the more likely to open the scoring and Kirkland had to be alert to deny Wallace from long range.

It proved to be a warning shot as the visitors took the lead minutes later. Treacy, who helped the Owls to promotion last term, unleashed a low effort from 25-yards that flew beyond Kirkland and into the back of the net.

Burnley’s confidence grew and the Owls never looked like getting back into the game.

And the visitors’ points were secure soon after when they were presented with the chance to double their lead from the penalty spot when Lewis Buxton handled the ball from a cross inside the box. Wallace stepped up and made no mistake.

It could have got worse for Wednesday but Treacy was denied a late second by the post.

Wednesday: Kirkland, Buxton, Llera, Gardner, Mattock, Prutton (J Johnson 72), McCabe, Lee, Helan, Antonio, Sidibe (O`Grady 58). Unused substitutes: Bywater, Taylor, Jones, Corry, Madine.

Burnley: Grant, Ings, Vokes, Lafferty, Wallace, Trippier, Paterson (Treacy 41), McCann (Edgar 60), Shackell, Duff, Stock (Bartley 90). Unused substitutes: Jensen, O`Neill, Stewart, Long.