Wednesday faced something of a backlash to a poor result and performance at Hillsborough. The Owls were outdone by midtable Ipswich Town thanks to goals from Tom Lawrence and Luke Chambers.
The Owls were heavily favoured before kickoff given Ipswich`s form of one win in eight, and Hillsborough being one of the toughest places to gain points in 2016, but the form book was torn apart by Mick McCarthy`s team.
Lawrence, who is on loan from Leicester, put the visitors in front before Gary Hooper equalised shortly afterwards. Just three minutes from time, skipper Chambers scored the winning goal.
The away side warned the Owls early on, as they nearly had an early breakthrough as a chance fell to David McGoldrick when he found space inside the area but he shot off-target. The Owls started to control possession and their first strike came from Scotland International Barry Bannan, who put a long-range effort over. Then Adam Reach squared to Steven Fletcher who sent a low shot that was deflected wide.
Reach, still searching for his maiden Wednesday goal then witnessed a shot charged down just before the away side opened the scoring. Lawrence on loan from Premier League champions Leicester City, picked the ball up on the halfway line. He then surged into the centre leaving players of both teams in his wake, as he hit the Owls penalty area he beat Keiren Westwood with a low finish.
The Owls snapped back into life and Gary Hooper equalised just four minutes later. He pounded on a loose ball after Bartosz Bialkowski could only parry a low shot from David Jones. Scorer Hooper then threatened soon after the restart with a low shot which was saved by Bialkowski and he didn’t fumble it this time.
The Owls sensed they could hit the front as chances started to build, Hunt’s cross picked out Fletcher at the far post but the striker was unable to guide the ball on target, heading wide. On the hour Fernando Forestieri made his entrance however, that was as grand as it got for last season’s Talisman who seems to still have his head in the clouds from where I was sat.
Again it was Scotland forward Steven Fletcher who saw another effort on target saved by Bialkowski who gathered the ball easily. The visitors were happy with a point as they set up camp in their own half, trying to counter when given the chance. Wallace saw a shot blocked as the Owls tried to work out how to break down the Tractor boys.
Wednesday’s third substitution came when Almen Abdi replaced Hooper. There was a chance for the visitors when Freddie Sears broke into the area, but he was forced wide by Westwood and he could not direct his shot on target from a tight angle. Another shot from Grant Ward was blocked before he laid it across the area to Jonathan Williams with Tom Lees rescuing the Owls from him from scoring. But that was only delaying the visitors who went home happy as Chambers headed the winner after Christophe Berra knocked down Ward’s free kick.
Wednesday had time at the end but never threatened to mount a comeback and left the field to boos rather than cheers. The international break should be used well by Carvalhal and Bullen to ensure no further points slip away in the Owls quest for a Premier League return.
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