Wednesday 3-2 Northampton

Wednesday progressed to the 3rd round of the FA Cup with a 3-2 victory over npower League 2 strugglers Northampton Town at a chilly Hillsborough on Saturday.

Mark Beevers broke the deadlock early on before a brace of goals from Tommy Miller, both from the penalty spot, put the Owls through, despite strikes from Billy McKay and Kevin Thornton that kept the visitors in the contest.

The win was Wednesday’s sixth on the spin in all competitions and came hot-on-the-heels of the news that Milan Mandaric was to become the club’s new owner.

Showing plenty of respect for the competition, and the opposition, Owls boss Alan Irvine stuck with the same starting eleven that defeated Walsall 3-0 at Hillsborough in the league in midweek.

Giles Coke and Jermaine Johnson, both pushing for starting roles, were included on the bench but had to settle for second-half run-outs.

Wednesday, on the back of five straight wins going into the game, showed their confidence early on when Neil Mellor tested Northampton stopper Chris Dunn with an early effort.

The Owls didn’t have to wait long for an opener though, and Tommy Spurr produced a pin-point cross for Beevers to smash into the back of the net after just six minutes.

It was the start Wednesday wanted and they continued their go-forward momentum in the early exchanges of the match, with Darren Potter next to test Dunn following a flowing move.

The ball was in the back of the net again on 15 minutes, but Darren Purse’s tap-in was ruled offside by the officials.

The visitors’ first chance came from Andy Holt, but Owls stopper Nicky Weaver was equal to his effort.

At the other end it should have been 2-0 to Wednesday as Clinton Morrison was produced with a superb opportunity in front of goal but saw his effort come back off the woodwork.

Ryan Gilligan had a rare chance for the Cobblers, Weaver again saving well, before the Owls doubled their lead.

Mellor was felled inside the box by Liam Davis in the 37th minute and Miller stepped up to drill home his first of two spot-kicks to put the Owls firmly in control of the tie.

It was a two-goal cushion Wednesday full deserved, and the Owls’ progression looked a safe bet at half-time.

Half-Time: Wednesday 2-0 Northampton

The Cobblers needed the first goal to stay in the contest and they came flying out of the traps at the start of the second half.

Holt had a great chance five minutes in but he drove his effort over the bar from close range.

Northampton kept pressing for a goal though and were rewarded ten minutes into the second half when Holt put McKay in to drill a low effort beyond Weaver and into the back of the net.

Town had already sunk Premier League giants Liverpool in the League Cup this season and they were looking for another scalp against higher-division opposition.

Irvine made a double change with Johnson and Coke coming on shortly after the visitors had got themselves back into the contest.

But Town failed to build on their goal and Weaver was rarely troubled as the game entered its final stages, much to the relief of Wednesday.

And the hosts all-but sealed their win in the 90th minute from another Miller spot-kick, following another foul on Mellor, this time by Paul Rodgers.

Deep into added time the Cobblers got a glimmer of hope when Thornton’s quickly-taken free-kick found its way by Weaver, but it was too little, too late for the visitors as Wednesday progressed.

Full-Time: Wednesday 3-2 Northampton