NEXT HOME GAME - TBC
NEXT AWAY GAME - SUPPORTERS XI ARE PLAYING WORCESTER AT MALVERN ON SUNDAY AUGUST 3rd AT 3.00pm

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Wednesday View

This from the Owlsonline website. http://www.owlsonline.com/

Wednesday go through to the fifth round of the FA Cup after a second half treble that put an end to the League Two side's hopes of an upset.

Goals from Darren Potter, Jermaine Johnson and a brace of penalties from Clinton Morrison were enough to see off Hereford who had taken an early lead through Stuart Fleetwood.

There was a welcome start for Paul Heffernan for the Owls, one of three changes made by Alan Irvine from the midweek draw against Yeovil. Clinton Morrison partnered Heffernan and Daniel Jones came in for Mark Reynolds.

Hereford looked quite composed on the ball from the off and played with a confidence which backed up their recent unbeaten run which has seen them move off the foot of League Two, and it took them just nine minutes to find a chink in the Owls armour. A quick breakaway down the Bulls right from Jake Jervis ended with a cross which Michael Morrison left to come across his body and Stuart Fleetwood took the opportunity to squeeze a shot past Nicky Weaver to open the scoring.

Wednesday looked nervous and there were a few passes going astray as the visitors started to sense an upset could be on the cards. But rather than succumb to the work ethic of the Bulls, the Owls grabbed a crucial equaliser within ten minutes. Daniel Jones overlapped Gary Teale on the left flank before playing the ball into the box, it eluded everyone but Darren Potter who raced onto it before smashing a fine finish past Adam Bartlett.

The equaliser brought some much needed impetus to the Owls play and the confidence level rose significantly, with the passing crisper, and more accurate than previously. However, the visitors again were doing their best to break down the Owls attacks and other than Heffernan spurning a decent chance after some great interplay through midfield, the Bulls were far from disgracing themselves. Hereford's forays into the Wednesday half were few and far between and when Jonas Kovacs headed a left wing corner onto the roof of the Owls net despite being unmarked before Fleetwood then prodded inches wide of the upright it maybe brought the sense that it wouldn't be their day.

Half Time Wednesday 1 Hereford 1

The second half began with the Owls in the ascendancy but again the crucial ball in the final third of the pitch just seemed to elude them as Hereford were doing well to close down the space to stifle the Wednesday attack. Darren Potter went down under a heavy challenge from ex Owl, Kenny Lunt, and appeared to be in some discomfort so he was replaced by James O Connor, but Potter was clearly ok as he reacted angrily to the substitution.

Although Potter had played well, O Connor immediately had an impact with a fine pass from right to left freeing Daniel Jones who clipped the ball across the box into the path of Clinton Morrison but the Wednesday man was hauled down by Joe Heath and the referee pointed to the spot and dismissed the Hereford player.

Morrison sent Bartlett the wrong way to put Wednesday in front and from then on there was only one team in the game. Jermaine Johnson then burst into life with the goal of the game, taking possession of a long throw from Nicky Weaver he raced into the opposition half before waltzing past a couple of challenges and firing home in front of the Kop.

Within seconds of the restart it was to be four, Teale's right wing cross was handled by Michael Townsend and again the ref pointed to the sopt despite the protests of the Bull's defender.

Morrison again stepped forward and slotted home the spot kick confidently.

Jermaine Johnson was then within inches of making it five, another lung busting run past the distraught defence ended with a thunderbolt of a shot that ricocheted off the upright and bounced to safety.It would have capped a fine 20 minute spell for the winger who in truth had been disappointing until the opposition had gone down to ten men. So Wednesday find their name in the draw for the fifth round and a step closer to Wembley.

Final Score Wednesday 4 Hereford 1

Wednesday: Weaver, Spurr, Jones, Johnson, Morrison, Johnson, Teale, Potter (O'Connor, 57 ) , Coke (Sedgwick, 82 ) , Morrison, Heffernan Subs not used: Mellor,Reynolds,Beevers,Jameson,

Hereford: Bartlett, Townsend, Kovacs, Heath(sent off 68), Rose, Lunt ( Purdie, 62 ) , Colbeck ( Green, 76 ) , Featherstone, McQuilkin ( Thomas, 81 ) , Fleetwood, Jervis Subs not used: Canham, Stratford, Preston, Weer,

Bookings: Rose (Hereford)

Attendance: 16578

Referee: Steve Tanner (Somerset)