Duo relieved after win - exclusive

Last updated : 25 February 2007 By Andy Parsons

The Owls left it late to claim their maiden 2007 victory against a struggling, yet plucky Shrimpers team who conceded a controversial last-minute penalty which Steve MacLean hammered home to give Brian Laws' men a 3-2 win.

Steve Watson, Iain Turner and Jermaine Johnson all impressed on their home debuts as The Owls picked up their first win since beating Barnsley in December and first at home since November.


Tudgay's lean spell in front of goal also ended as he scored his first in 14 games and he admits that hitting the back of the net is a weight off his mind.


"It's about time we got a win," Tudgay told Footymad. "The boys have been a bit down recently but again we have managed to dig in to battle on and get the three points.


"As a striker you know that you are going to go through lean spells and not score and confidence can be affected, even for world class strikers when they don't score. But I wasn't playing well and came out of the team, refreshed my legs and I am now raring to go again.


"The new boys have done well. JJ needed a bit of fitness because he didn't play when he signed, the new keeper's also come in and he made some great saves but we have to take out of the game what we achieved as a whole so we have to keep our heads high and head to Leeds next week."


Simek meanwhile praised the character in the squad after the win left both fans and players leave Hillsborough happy for the first time in what seems like an age.


He said: "We started the game poorly by going a goal behind but we improved as the half went on as we went up 2-1, we created chances, put in good crosses and hit the crossbar but then the second half came and we made it very difficult for ourselves and to be fair we got out of jail with a last-minute penalty kick for a decision which is given one day and not the next. But we got the three points which we desperately needed and we will take that.


"It's a good win but when you look at the run we have been on, things haven't really been going our way so that makes it extra special. But drawing 2-2 against Southend with the crowd getting on your back a bit, it was a really great win for us.


"It seems ages since we won last, I think it was in December and that's way too long to go without a win. We are a good side and in all respect, we should be beating teams like Southend at home, we were fortunate in how we did it but three points is three points."