Towels and tribulations – Tempers flare but 10-man Sheffield Wednesday fight to victory at Portsmouth

There was a bit of early drama touchside as Portsmouth appeared to take away Will Vaulks’ throw-in towels, it didn’t go down well and for a few minutes play stopped – the home fans sang ‘Where’s your towel gone’ in response.

They weren’t joking for long though, because it was first blood to Wednesday in the 11th minute, the Owls going long to find Michael Smith, his header found Josh Windass, and the Owls’ number 11 drilled it low and hard to find the back of the net. 1-0/

One man on the bench swung a towel around his head in celebration – the players formed into a car formation and sat on the turf. A nod to Windass Taxis Ltd.

The visitors may have been leading, with delight to the 1,600 travelling fans, but it wasn’t all smiles in the opening 45 as things got increasingly heated – George Byers limped off holding the back of his thigh, and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru entered the field. Only time will tell how serious it is.

Wednesday have a target on their back now, and it feels like trying to wind them up has become somewhat of a tactic. It was at play again as things got feisty in the first half – Windass, Joe Morrell and Jaden Brown all got booked during a period where heads looked to be getting lost.

Brown was sacrificed at the break as Darren Moore sought to calm things down, but the spice never left. Fratton Park was becoming a cauldron, fouls were coming thick and fast, and the tension was palpable.

The Owls couldn’t really get a proper hold on the game, and Pompey kept pushing. Cameron Dawson flicked out an arm to make a fine reaction save to keep out Colby Bishop from very close range, but it was a warning shot.

Mousinho’s men swung cross after cross in the box, but to no avail, and it was James’ that came closest to leading to a goal after he was delightfully found by Bannan – but Windass headed just wide.

Lee Gregory was brought in to try and calm things down, to try and hold the ball up top, but it had long felt like this game would end without the full complement of players, and that proved to be the case.

Having been booked for time-wasting earlier, Dominic Iorfa was beaten by Connor Ogilvie and couldn’t get his feet right – Ogilvie went down, and Iorfa was sent for an early bath. Now Wednesday had a job on.

It felt like things may be levelled up with a few minutes to go as Sean Raggett went right through FDB, but – to the astonishment of many, including an angry David Stockdale on the bench – he was only booked.

Wednesday were up against it, and they knew it. The crosses kept coming, the headers out kept going, and when the final whistle went you could feel the collective exhale from the away end.

22 unbeaten. 11 men or 10 men, Sheffield Wednesday win football games.

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