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Too much too soon for Owls as Barnsley take derby points: MATCH REPORT AND SLIDESHOW
BARNSLEY 2 v SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 1: TWO derbies in three days predictably proved too much for Wednesday last night as battling Barnsley gave their Championship survival fight a boost and undermined speculation about the future of manager Simon Davey.
Even with 11 men, the Owls would have faced a demanding test in their second all-South-Yorkshire dust-up in so short a time.
Boss Brian Laws predicted that Barnsley would see it as an opportunity and would come out fighting and he was proved right.
But no-one could have forecast the uncharacteristic lunge by Tony McMahon on Rob Kozluk that led to the Owls right-back being sent off in
the 34th minute.
Wednesday were already a goal down before that, not looking their usual selves and showing five changes, some of them forced, after the triumph against United.
Barnsley, desperate for points to try to escape the bottom three (where they remain), took full advantage and deserved their victory.
Davey knew that Wednesday might be feeling the effects of the Sheffield derby so his plan was to attack from the start.
The first goal came in only the fourth minute and was significant in inspiring the Reds and perhaps hinting to Wednesday that this was going to be a long night.
Winger Martin Devaney made a run down the left and drove in a low ball.
Lee Grant was positioned to take it at the near post but debut-making centre-back Lewis Buxton, following his defensive instincts, got in front of the keeper and tried to hook the ball clear; it went into the air and fell loose before Iain Hume fired it home.
Grant had to make a top-class save down to his right to push away a shot by Devaney after the winger had got away through the middle.
A minute later the Owls had another close call when Hume narrowly failed to connect with a far-post cross from Jamal Campbell-Ryce.
And a minute after that came the sending-off on the halfway line right in front of the dug-outs, for a tackle that did not make contact but brought a furious reaction from Davey and was not defended after the game by Laws.
The Owls manager re-organised by pushing Buxton from centre-back to right-back, Tommy Spurr from left back to right-side centre-half, Peter Gilbert from left midfield to left-back, and Francis Jeffers to a deeper role.
This came after the pre-match disruption with Richard Wood, James O'Connor and Steve Watson not fit enough to start, Jeffers preferred to Deon Burton, Jermaine Johnson suspended, and recalls for Wade Small wide and Jimmy Smith in centre midfield.
Then three minutes after the red card, Marcus Tudgay had to go off with a groin injury and his replacment, Burton, was not long in joining the walking wounded.
He went over on his ankle and was to need it strapping but managed to stay on.
A long-range header at the keeper by Tudgay was Wednesday's only real attempt at goal in the first half.
Laws sacrificed Jeffers at half-time to stiffen midfield by bringing on Watson. The club captain - considered to be not fit enough for 90 minutes - was a steadying influence throughout the second half.
Laws had felt that centre midfield was a problem.
"We were as weak as anything there. That's the area where we lost the game," he said.
O'Connor was missed, as was Watson in the first half - both starred against United on Sunday.
Pressure early in the second half by Barnsley told when the Reds earned a penalty as Mark Beevers was penalised for a foul on Stephen Foster as a Hume corner passed across the box. The Owls defender was also booked.
Campbell-Ryce smacked the spot kick into Grant's bottom left-hand corner and sent the keeper the wrong way.
It was a bit of lifeline for Wednesday when, after Leon Clarke took over from Small in the 66th minute and the formation was switched to 4-3-2.
The striker sub had been on for only two minutes as he turned on a ball into the box and was impeded by Denis Souza.
Another penalty, another booking. Laws said: "If the last man has pulled Leon back, isn't that a red card?"
Burton had insisted pre-match that he would take the next penalty. But it was Clarke who stepped up.
"I think it was because Deon's ankle was sore," explained Laws.
Clarke blasted an unstoppable shot just under the bar for his first goal of the season.
Wednesday, lifted by the goal, played with fresh drive. Good work by Watson set up an effort on the turn by Smith which was held by Muller, and Buxton had the confidence to hit a 25-yard volley that flew over the bar.
The prospect of glory for Burton loomed in the 80th minute as a Clarke header dropped to him, 20 yards out. It was a chance for the striker's first goal of the season but his left-foot volley screwed wide.
While Laws regretted having to change his side so much, Davey felt that the return from suspension of centre-half Darren Moore helped his team.
"Darren has his critics," he said. "But he puts the effort it. He has passion; he wins his headers and his tackles. He never shirks a challenge. We need committed players.
"He was fantastic, along with the other 10."
The points were a reward for the Reds' spirit and endeavour.
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Weather for Sheffield
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 9 C to 23 C
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