Wednesday 2-0 Blackpool

Wednesday put in a workman-like performance to ensure boss Alan Irvine kept his 100 per cent winning home run intact against Blackpool on Tuesday night.

Goals from James O’Connor and Darren Potter were enough for the Owls to bounce back from Saturday’s defeat at Nottingham Forest, and keep a clean sheet for the first time under Irvine to boot.

It wasn’t pretty, and there’s still work to be done to ensure Wednesday avoid a relegation scare this season, but more of the same will surely see Irvine complete the superb turnaround and guide his men to safety sooner rather than later.

He kept faith with the same starting eleven that fell to defeat in Nottingham, while Blackpool boss Ian Holloway rung the changes after axing three of his players from the squad and seeing key man Charlie Adam suspended.

The Owls were unlucky in defeat at the City Ground at the weekend and they continued where they left off with a fast-paced start to the clash at S6.

Wednesday were just three minutes in when they broke the deadlock as O’Connor bagged his third goal of the season to see the Owls come flying out of the traps.

Tommy Spurr was allowed space down the left and he produced a pin-point cross for O’Connor to arrive on-time and smack a header into the back of the Blackpool goal.

But instead of inspiring the hosts, Wednesday sat back and allowed Blackpool some long spells with the ball, although they never really threatened Owls’ stopper Lee Grant.

Keith Southern’s tame effort was the closest the visitors came in the open exchanges as Grant remained pretty much untested throughout, having to make just the one save.

DJ Campbell and Stephen Dobbie both lashed at efforts in front of the Wednesday Kop, while at the other end Luke Varney stroked the ball well over the bar.

Both sides were lacking composure in front of goal on a cold night at Hillsborough.

On the plus side, although Wednesday didn’t kick-on like they should have done following the opener, they had plenty of steel and organisation about them, something which Irvine has been keen to get into his troops.

Darren Purse was solid at the back, while both O’Connor and Potter enjoyed arguably their best game together as a centre-midfield pairing.

The duo had the work rate to keep the visiting midfield at bay, while also offering their services well in attack, something which showed with both goals coming thanks to them.

Half-Time: Wednesday 1-0 Blackpool

The performance, attacking-wise at least, left much to be desired from the first 45 minutes, but with the Owls attacking the Kop in the second half things had to improve.

Potter fired an early warning effort at the Blackpool stopper minutes after the restart before firing in Wednesday’s second not long after with the move of the match.

Varney, enjoying another fine game, powered towards the Blackpool area and spotted Potter unmarked at the edge of the box, where the midfielder turned his marker and directed a cool, low finish off the inside of the post and into the back of the net on 50 minutes.

It seemed like job done for Wednesday, with the visitors offering little in the way of an attacking threat.

Maybe that was down to the fact that they were missing some key men, or maybe it was down to the work rate and organisation of the Owls against a usually tough nut to crack in the Seasiders.

Maybe it was both.

The only thing left for Wednesday to do was to complete what would be a confidence-boosting clean sheet, a first for Irvine since his arrival at the club.

And, although not exactly comfortable, Wednesday did just that.

Spurr enjoyed an improved game on recent performances, while Simek looked ever closer to his best, bar a few wayward passes, and Beevers and Purse looked superb at the centre of the defence – hopefully I’ll be able to say that a few more times before the end season at least.

Wednesday could also have added to their lead had Varney not seen an effort brilliantly saved.

Full-Time: Wednesday 2-0 Blackpool