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Happy Brian Laws laughs off puddle incident - MATCH REPORT AND SLIDESHOW
WEDNESDAY are counting the plusses after seeing off Southampton and snapping out of a little slump in home form.
"We've won more games than last season, we've got more points, and we have a better home record - and there are still a couple of games left," was how manager Brian Laws put it.
The Owls' 10th home victory of the campaign was their first in five Hillsborough outings and kept them in the hunt for Laws' twin targets of a minimum haul of 60 points and a top-10 finish.
Their performance suggested that the debacle of QPR on Easter Monday was an off-day rather than the start of an end-of-season switch-off.
Laws used a bit of psychology in deciding on minimal changes and giving players a another chance instead of wielding the axe; this, plus last week's inquests and work on the training ground, contributed to the Owls looking more like their normal selves if not at their best.
A run of three home games without a goal was ended with a bit of help from defensive blunders, a linesman, and, crucially, the predatory instincts of Luke Varney.
We've seen the Owls miss chances like the ones that he tucked away with panache for his first goals for the club.
It was composure personified when he looked up, took his time, and guided the first one past the keeper, and same again as he waltzed around Kelvin Davis to stick the ball into the net.
It mattered not to Varney that the first one should have been ruled out for offside.
"I've scored goals in my career when I wasn't offside but they've been disallowed, so it evens itself out," he said.
This incident showed what a tough job it can be for the officials.
I wasn't in line and at first sight wasn't sure whether it was offside or not.
A second look, at a half-time TV replay at normal speed, suggested that Varney was onside.
It was only when the incident was rerun in slow motion that it became clear he was in fact offside at the instant when Francis Jeffers played the ball through, after seizing upon a mistake by centre half Jan-Paul Saeijs.
The second goal came when a routine, forward throw-in by Tommy Spurr was missed by both Saeijs and Chris Perry, and Varney got clean away.
The Owls did have a few anxious moments in their box as well as some solid defending but on the whole they were by far the better side.
Varney had some regrets: he missed with a simple volley and a header that also resulted in him kneeing Jeffers in the back accidentally and ruling him out of the second half.
"It was nice to get a couple of goals, especially for the fans - they've been great since I've been here," said Varney, who was playing in the final game of his one-month loan deal.
"It's just a shame that there were only two home games while I've been here.
"I'm disappointed not to be taking the match ball home (for a hat-trick). But the three points are important, and for me to get two goals is really good."
Jeffers, Varney and Marcus Tudgay figured in some attractive attacking stuff in the first half, and the team's link-up play was handicapped by Jeffers' absence for the second half.
The former England striker probably would have got on the scoresheet as well - he too was waiting for the Etienne Esajas cross that Varney headed wide.
The loan man jumped in front of him and they collided.
Varney said he didn't hear any shout.
"When you're a striker in that position you keep your eye on the ball and try to stick it in the net. I'm gutted for Franny; he played me in for the first goal."
Jeffers - who was replaced up front by Jermaine Johnson - had got his chance of a start because Leon Clarke had suffered a hamstring twinge in training on Friday and was rested as a precaution, with Varney's loan due to end and Akpo Sodje sidelined for at least two games.
The only other change saw the return of Sean McAllister, who beavered away in midfield and supplied the cross that made the first of Varney's chances.
Southampton, second from bottom, looked every inch a relegation side.
Their manager, Mark Wotte, said: "We are now hoping for a miracle in the last two games. We need to win them and hope that other teams lose points."
Wotte says he politely pointed out to the officials, using a laptop, the the first goal should have been offside.
But he admitted: "For the second goal there was only one thing to blame - that was ourselves."
Operating against the background of a Saints financial crisis, he added: "If there is trouble at the club, it is never going to help on the pitch.
"But it would be a bit cheap if I blamed the defeat on off-the-pitch problems.
"The second goal was just bad defending by two experienced centre-backs."
Laws, who had a face like thunder at QPR and a mindset to match, was in more light-hearted mode and could even have a laugh about his mud-spattered suit - the result of him getting splashed during the game when he was standing close to a touchline puddle.
"It was a more more professional performance from us," he said.
"We did the right things at the right time."
Victory took the Owls two points past last season's finishing tally of 55, and they have cause for fresh confidence as they head towards the last two games, against Bristol City and Cardiff.
MANAGER'S VIEW:
I was very angry at QPR. The players responded in the right manner.
We approached the game in the right manner.
This was always going to be a tough game, against a side who had just won, were fighting for their lives and would be out to make it difficult for us.
Apart from the first goal, we had chances. Then the second goal was always going to be key.
They might be a bit disappointed with it but I don't think anybody can deny that we thoroughly deserved it.
I'm really pleased for Luke. He deserved a goal for his work ethic.
He was excellent. He covered every blade of grass.
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Weather for Sheffield
Saturday 26 May 2012
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