Darren Moore explains tub-thumping touchline ‘rant’ in Sheffield Wednesday’s win at Cambridge United

The Owls shared possession with the home side down the middle and weathered an aerial bombardment that saw them win 25 headers to Cambridge’s nine as Lee Gregory’s return to the goals column came in the form of a well-taken double.

The win takes Wednesday to within a point of second-placed Ipswich Town following their surprise defeat at home to Lincoln City and achieves a stunning eighth clean sheet in 14 League One outings.

Speaking in the minutes after the game, Moore was satisfied but a long way shot of jubilant with the performance, during which he gave a rollicking to his players from the touchline the likes not often seen during his time at S6.

“It’s just three points,” he said. “That’s all I can say on the game. I’m pleased Lee got back to goalscoring form, which we always knew he would and defensively we had people standing in the right place and doing their jobs.

“Those are the positives from today.”

A picture of frustration for long sections of the win, Moore explained the dressing-down of his players was due to the high standards the club have set in recent months.

“It was because I wanted us to play at our tempo,” he said. “I thought we had dropped into playing too slowly, the atmosphere here went quiet and we fell into that.

“We had to keep performing at our tempo and speed. We dropped. The energy of the game dropped and we fell into that.

“It only takes a second for the opposition to score – so why give them the opportunity to do that?

“That rant and spat was for the benefit of the team. We had spoken about the tempo. I’m glad nothing came of that drop in terms of a goal going against us, and once we scored that second goal it was all about making sure.

“You could hear the players talking on the pitch about keeping a clean sheet, which was great to hear.”