Stuart Gray has almost assured his appointment as the new manager of Sheffield Wednesday following his fourth win in eight games during his spell in temporary charge of The Owls. This most recent of wins has come against Leeds United at Hillsborough in a storming 6-0 triumph for the hosts – their biggest win against their Yorkshire rivals in history. This win leaves Wednesday in a positive position, especially following losses for Doncaster Rovers, Yeovil Town and Millwall on the same day.
As always on derby day, there were a lot of nerves prior to the game, with both sides in very different positions. Leeds United were hovering just outside the play-offs as they have done for a few seasons now, whereas Wednesday have been in and around the relegation spots for much of the campaign so far; they were rooted in the bottom three until Stuart Gray become caretaker manager following the sacking of Dave Jones in December.
Sheffield Wednesday were able to limit the amount of early possession their visitors had, and were also able to assert their prominence with a goal from Reda Johnson after 19 minutes, after some very poor defending from United. After a costless-kick was cleared by the Leeds defence, Kieran Lee was able to chip it back into the danger area, where it was collected by a completely unmarked Johnson. He was given enough time to take his time and volley home past Paddy Kenny.
After this goal, The Owls tried to keep on top and get a second goal to show the dominance in their performance. Leeds were able to threaten on the counter and through corners, but the attackers were unable to muster many shots on the Wednesday goal. Then, moments before half-time, Kieran Lee played a key role in Wednesday netting a second before the break. On the counter, Lee ran almost the full length of the pitch and received the ball, before taking it through on goal. Instead of shooting as expected, the former Oldham man slotted it across goal to Atdhe Nuhiu who slid in to put the ball in the back of the net.
At half-time, Sheffield Wednesday certainly looked good value for their lead, whilst Leeds had been unimpressive in the first 45 minutes of the game. Jacques Maghoma and Chris Maguire out wide for the hosts was working to great effect, as it has done since it was first implemented recently, but many were still nervous about Wednesday’s abilities to maintain the performance. Brian McDermott brought on Matt Smith during the break, in order to improve his side’s chances of getting something from the game.
However, Smith’s hopes of contributing something helpful to Leeds’ cause were short-lived. Just moments after coming on as a substitute, the 24-year-old was sent straight back off again by referee Lee Probert for jumping at and elbowing Reda Johnson trying to win the ball in the air. As harsh as the red may have looked, it was reflective of The Whites’ derby performance.
Minutes after the red card, Connor Wickham was able to put the game beyond his team’s opponents. The on-loan Sunderland striker, who has been impressive in his second spell at Hillsborough, was able to take it round two Leeds defender, before lashing a low shot past Paddy Kenny from an angle into the bottom corner of the goal, via the post. That goal really assured the win for Stuart Gray’s side, but with over 40 minutes left to play, there was every chance the win could be even larger.
Indeed, The Owls scored a fourth after 67 minutes. Chris Maguire was tasked with a direct costless kick from nearly thirty yards, a tough task for even the most skilled set-piece taker. Nevertheless, the ex-Derby man took his shot, and it bounced in past the helpless Paddy Kenny, with the help of a huge deflection off of a Leeds player. However, the style of goal didn’t matter to anyone in blue and white, least of all to Maguire, who has endured a tough 18 months since signing on at Hillsborough; all the emotion from those set-backs was evidently released when he saw his shot his the back of the Leeds goal.
21-year-old striker Caolan Lavery – recalled from his loan at Plymouth Argyle because of the growing injury list at Wednesday – came on for the impressive Nuhiu after 66 minutes, and showed his new supporters exactly what to expect from the Canada-born forward. The youth international for Canada and Northern Ireland has given glimpses of his talents in his limited previous appearances, but never on such a scale as this.
The former Southend loanee Lavery was able to net Wednesday’s fifth after 80 minutes, after some perhaps greedy, but still very good play from the youngster. The man was able to pick the ball up just past the half-way line, and turns and runs with it towards the exhausted Leeds defence. With both Wickham and substitute Jermaine Johnson sprinting forwards in support, and a trio of Leeds players closing in on the striker, you would have thought he would play the ball. However, some smooth feet from the 21-year-old allowed him to break costless of the defenders, and take a shot low past the flat-footed Kenny; the shot hits off the post before rolling into the other side of the net for five.
Lavery was able to net a second in during four minutes of injury time to finish off a resounding win for The Owls. The youngster was able to win the ball off a Leeds defender when he intercepted a Wednesday pass, before smartly turning and curling a superb finish past Paddy Kenny from just outside the box and into the bottom corner in front of the Spion Kop. There is few better ways to announce your arrival at a club than with a brilliant double against bitter rivals in a derby, and if he keeps this up, Caolan Lavery certainly has a bright future in Yorkshire.
As the full-time whistle was blown, resounding cheers rung around three sides of this historic ground as The Owls moved 19th, and Leeds extended their winless run to six games. Many now believe that Stuart Gray will be the man chosen to become Wednesday’s next permanent manager, as chairman and owner Milan Mandarić alluded to in a press interview after the game. Despite this win, the Sheffield side have now further strengthened their squad with the addition of former AC Milan and Sporting Lisbon defender – as well as American international – Oguchi Onyewu joined on a costless transfer until the end of the season, after leaving Queens Park Rangers this week. Things are most certainly looking up at Hillsborough after a dismal start to the season.
