Wednesday 1-3 Brentford

Wednesday’s woeful home form continued on Tuesday night as Brentford completed a league ‘double’ over the Owls with a convincing 3-1 victory at Hillsborough.

It took just three minutes for Michael Spillane to fire the Bees ahead but Rob Jones responded with his first goal in the blue and white stripes just ten minutes later to get the hosts on level terms. Loanee Jeffrey Schlupp restored Brentford’s lead and Sam Saunders’ strike with eight minutes to win sealed the win for the visitors.

The defeat piles more misery on Wednesday, who’ve failed to bag a league win at home this year, and leaves them just four points above the npower League One relegation places.

Despite being pleased with Wednesday’s performance in the 1-1 draw at Dagenham & Redbridge at the weekend, Owls boss Gary Megson made four changes to his starting eleven.

Lewis Buxton and Tommy Spurr came in at the back, in place of Michael Morrison and Mark Reynolds, whole Isaiah Osbourne replaced Tommy Miller in midfield and Paul Heffernan joined the attack, with Chris Sedgwick making way.

Megson also emphasised the importance of his side defending set pieces well but his men were behind after just three minutes from a Brentford corner kick.

Nathan Byrne swung the corner over and Spillane rose highest to power his header beyond Owls stopper Richard O’Donnell and into the back of the net to give the Bees the perfect start to the game.

Wednesday needed a response and they got one, with Madine smashing a header just over the bar from an Osbourne cross before Jones grabbed the leveller in the 13th minute.

The tall centre-back, on loan from Scunthorpe, had seen an effort deflected wide for a corner, but he made no mistake with his second effort as he beat Brentford stopper Trevor Carson to get the hosts on level terms.

Wednesday had the momentum and they needed it to continue to get their noses in front, but, in almost typical fashion at S6 in recent months, Wednesday let their hard work go to waste as the Bees swarmed in to restore their lead.

It came after 18 minutes as Byrne produced a fine ball for Schlupp, on-loan from Leicester City, to bury for his third goal in two games for his new club.

The Owls were dealt another blow just five minutes later as Jones was forced off following a clash of heads and Jon Otsemobor came on in his place in defence.

The visitors were content to sit back on their lead and hit the confidence-sapped Wednesday defence on the break, and their plan was working well.

Wednesday did have more of the ball as the first half wore on but they lacked any quality in getting through Brentford’s stubborn defence.

The closest the hosts came was a Darren Potter free-kick which flew harmlessly over the bar and Brentford looked good for their 2-1 lead at the interval.

Half-Time: Wednesday 1-2 Brentford

Wednesday no doubt got a half-time hammering from Megson at the interval and it seemed to work, for the first few minutes or so at least.

Keen to get back on level terms, Carson had to be alert to deny Madine with a fine save and then Craig Woodman was the hero has he cleared Gary Teale’s resulting effort off the line.

It was a big moment in the game, with Brentford then settling back into their game and allowing their opponents few chances in front of goal.

It forced Megson into a double change before the hour mark, with Clinton Morrison and Jermaine Johnson coming on to replace Heffernan and Potter respectively.

Megson will have wanted a more attacking threat from his men as a result but it hardly came.

Johnson did look lively in parts and saw a shot well blocked by Karleigh Osborne, but he too struggled to find a way through the Bees defence.

He zipped another effort wide of goal but chances were coming too few and far between to cause the visitors any great concern, while the 14,797 Owls fans, one of the lowest gates in recent times at S6, started to stream out of the stadium.

If their mind hadn’t been made up, it probably was with eight minutes to go when substitute Sam Saunders came on and added Brentford’s third to seal their victory and make it another painful 90 minutes viewing at S6 for Wednesdayites.

Full-Time: Wednesday 1-3 Brentford