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MATCH REPORT:Sheff Wed 2 Crystal Palace 0
SEAN McAllister will not have to go knocking on Brian Laws' door this week to make out a case for being in the Wednesday team.
A clinically-taken goal and sound all-round performance against Crystal Palace did the talking for him when opportunity knocked.
It followed a visit to the manager's office last week by the midfielder who impressed upon Laws his desire to play after a six-match run out of the team.
Now he looks certain to keep his place at Burnley on Saturday.
"I was a bit surprised when he put me in the team, but delighted, and it couldn't have gone much better," said the man whose 80th-minute strike put Wednesday on the path to an important win.
"In the six games I'd missed, we'd only taken seven points. I let him know what I'd done before for the team. I was the last outfield player to play in every (league) game. I just reminded him I'm still here and wanting to play and start games."
McAllister, whose place initially was taken by new signing Darren Potter, admitted that there was a time when he could not grumble: "Against Charlton, Birmingham and Sheffield United, the team performed very well. I had to bide my time," he said.
"The last two games (against Doncaster and Barnsley) have been frustrating. I felt I could have got on the pitch at some point.
"I went (to Brian Laws) to fight my own case to start. I know there's a lot of competition. James O'Connor was unfortunate to miss out. He'll be working hard, and I'll have to work hard when I'm in the team otherwise he'll be knocking on the gaffer's door and saying he should be in the team.
"The gaffer is quite happy about players coming and knocking on his door. It shows they want to play. I'm not scared of going in there and having a word if I feel I should be in the team."
Laws's change is not likely to have stemmed just from McAllister's plea. O'Connor had been below his best against Doncaster and Barnsley.
Without pointing any fingers, the Owls manager said: "Sean has been disappointed at not being in the side; he's been an integral part of the team since the start of the season.
"I just felt we needed more composure; that's why I brought in Potter. It worked. Then we dropped off. I needed to freshen things up. We know what Sean's about. He's got great energy, he covers every blade of grass, he can pop up in areas and he can get goals."
The midfielder was in the right place at the right time to volley home after first Leon Clarke and then Wade Small challenged for a Frankie Simek throw and put Palace under pressure.
That moment was a vital one.
In some respects it had been another unconvincing display by the Owls against awkward opposition who hit the woodwork twice. Two more home points dropped, or, worse still, a third consecutive defeat, would have put a huge hole in the feelgood factor.
Wednesday generally defended well against Palace set-pieces, and they played with extra vitality after going ahead.
But the first goal was not the only turning point. Leon Clarke's earlier arrival as a sub had provided presence and freshness up front, first as a partner to Marcus Tudgay after Michael Gray - not at his best - was taken off, then alongside Jermaine Johnson after Francis Jeffers was withdrawn.
Clarke, who had made way for Jeffers in the starting line-up, had his own point to prove and reinforced it with a sixth goal of the season that was perfection all round: Frankie Simek's forward ball, Johnson's run and cross and the scorer's deft touch at the near post.
Simek, like McAllister, was delighted to return. "I feel very good. To get 90 minutes of a first-team football is a mental hurdle out of the way," he said.
"I wouldn't say it was my typical performance; I didn't bomb forward as much as I normally do. It wasn't that type of game. We weren't stringing passes together. Defending is the bread and butter, and I wanted to do the simple things right.
"I feel better than I did against Southampton (during his brief comeback in December), which is the most pleasing thing for me.
"It would have been better to have a few more reserve games, but I felt very good after the last reserve game, so I was ready to go.
"We had Lewis Buxton suspended and we were a bit short. There was no doubt in my mind."
Simek also hailed another comeback star, Richard Hinds, who had an even better game at centre-half than he'd had at right-back against Barnsley.
"I thought he was magnificent in the air, and on the ground he defended very well," said the USA international."
An enforced change in the Palace defence when Claude Davis went off in the 56th minute was seen as key by Palace boss Neil Warnock.
"We hit the post twice; it was there to be won. As soon as Claude Davis came off we got back to old ways," he said.
"We were dropping 20 yards deeper and inviting more pressure, and they scored from a throw-in.
"We've lost a game we should have won. The first goal was always going to win it, really. I'd no complaints after that."
Manager's ViewThe first half was a huge battle. The playing surface is not ideal for getting it down to play; it's a bit bobbly.
Before the game our back four had been put together with sticky tape.
I had to put Frankie in, and Richard Hinds had to play a second game, when he should never have been near the side.
Richard Wood had to pull out; we were very stretched. We were nervous in the first half, after the previous two games. Going in at half-time with a clean sheet was vital.
In the second half we passed the ball better.
It wasn't about the performance: it was about getting a win to stop the rot.
You open Leon Clarke's toolbox and he's got it all.
Sometimes you don't see enough of it.
I felt it was justified that we rested him. He hadn't played particularly well in the last two games.
This time he's made a massive impact.
Got a view? Add your comment below.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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