Stockport County 0 Sheffield Wednesday 3

Last updated : 06 November 2004 By Footymad Previewer

Sheffield Wednesday eased towards a morale-boosting first win in five thanks to goals from Adam Proudlock, John-Paul McGovern and Lewis McMahon.

Bottom-of-the-table Stockport rarely got a look in on a miserable Edgeley Park afternoon.

Wednesday welcomed back influential trio David Lucas, Guy Branston and Lewis McMahon following injury, but it was Stockport who opened the brightest and McMahon had to be alert on four minutes when heading clear a goalbound free-kick from Rickie Lambert.

However, the Owls soon got a grip on the game and Stockport goalkeeper James Spencer had to be at his best to beat out Steve MacLean's powerful drive.

On the quarter-hour Chris Brunt tried his luck from distance, but Spencer saved again.

On a miserable Cheshire afternoon, Wednesday continued to boss proceedings and Brunt was again thwarted by a fine Spencer save on 23 minutes. Brunt's looping header was destined for the top corner.

The next to go close was Glenn Whelan whose close-range header was cleared off the line by Lambert.

The dominant visitors finally got their goal on 40 minutes when Proudlock - with his second goal in successive games - hooked the ball home following a neat header back into the danger zone by Brunt.

Five minutes after the break the Owls struck again. John-Paul McGovern raced clear before unleashing a 20-yard shot which went in via a deflection off County defender Lee Mair.

As Wednesday cruised towards a comfortable three points, McMahon put the icing on the cake in the 89th minute when he struck a deflected shot which beat Spencer from just outside the box.