Wednesday pick up first point under Pulis

Last updated : 26 November 2020 By C. Morris

Organised Owls earn draw

Sheffield Wednesday picked up their first point under new manager Tony Pulis on Wednesday evening, drawing 1-1 with Swansea City in Wales.

With Josh Windass suspended, Pulis chose to go with Jordan Rhodes up front but other than that it was the same side that lost narrowly to Preston last weekend.

The visitors settled into the game well and had the first chance of the game when a loose Swansea clearance fell to Borner in the penalty area but his strike was straight down the throat of Freddie Woodman in the home goal.

Wednesday were forced into a change inside 15 minutes when Keiren Westwood hobbled off with an injury and was replaced by Joe Wildsmith in the Owls goal. The Owls looked well drilled and on 27 minutes a well worked corner routine gave them the lead. Bannan crossed low into the box, picking out Reach who steered a first time strike in off the foot of the post. From that point on Wednesday were comfortable in the first half, keeping possession well and restricting their hosts from creating any clear-cut chances.

Clearly unimpressed by the pattern of the first half, Swansea manager Steve Cooper made two changes at the break, introducing Andre Ayew and Kasey Palmer in a bid to get the hosts back into the game. The extra attacking intent was clear and on the hour mark the Swans levelled the game. Ayew picked up the ball on the edge of the penalty are and wrong-footed Van Aken to make space before curling a fine strike past Wildsmith into the bottom corner of the goal.

The Owls struggled to make an impression in the second half but were able to keep their defensive shape and protect their goal well. Dhanda fired two strikes narrowly wide from distance for Swansea but the only effort of note on target came in the closing stages as Wildsmith tipped an Ayew drive over the bar. Swansea did bundle the ball into the goal in the last minute of injury time but the referee had already blown for a foul in the melee and a draw was a fair result based on what was very much a game of two halves.

Results elsewhere mean that the Owls are now 5 points adrift of 21st place in the Championship. Next up for Wednesday is a home game against Stoke City on Saturday.