Henrik Pedersen might have just seen another glimpse into Sheffield Wednesday’s future

With manager Henrik Pedersen watching on from a high vantage point and with senior players including Pierce Charles, Nathaniel Chalobah and Ernie Weaver in tow, Sheffield Wednesday’s Under-21s were under pressure to impress when Barnsley visited Middlewood Road on Tuesday afternoon.

In blustery conditions, they did exactly that, brushing South Yorkshire counterparts Barnsley aside, winning 4-0 in their penultimate Professional Development League 2 outing of the season. The talented Will Grainger was the star of the show, scoring two first half goals, while Mackenzie Maltby and Devlan Moses also chipped in with a goal apiece.

Moses, who has developed at a rapid rate of knots this season, forced the first save of the afternoon 11 minutes in, turning inside the penalty area after good work by Reece Johnson down the Owls’ left flank. Unfortunately for Moses, it lacked the power to trouble Barnsley goalkeeper Will Anderson.

Anderson, though, was picking the ball out of the net just a few minutes later when a low cross from Josh Bayliss was eventually forced in. Grainger saw an initial effort saved before he turned the rebound home by being alive inside the box.

In what was proving to be a scrappy contest, the Owls doubled their advantage five minutes before the break when Maltby turned the ball home from close range. The lively Moses was involved, grabbing the assist, sending in a dangerous cross from the left channel of the penalty area after good work from Zain Silcott-Duberry.

Two minutes later, Grainger rubbed more salt into Barnsley’s wounds, capitalising on some sloppy defending to slot a composed finish past Anderson.

It capped off a strong first half performance from the Wales youth international, who regularly dropped deep to try and involve himself in the game. Brimming with confidence, Grainger tried his luck with an ambitious effort three minutes into the second half, taking aim with an audacious volley on the angle from outside the penalty area.

Grainger was in the thick of the action again not long after, this time almost turning provider. Refusing to give up on a loose ball, he sent over a dangerous cross from right, finding Bayliss in acres of space, but he steered his effort wide at the near post. Grainger buried his head in his hands, clearly frustrated at missing out on an assist.

By this point, Pedersen, who has handed Grainger five first-team appearances this season, was no longer visible. The door to the balcony closed as the rain started to come down. It was impossible to tell if he was watching from behind the glass.

Although the Dane was out of shot, Grainger and Moses continued to sparkle and create more problems for Barnsley’s defenders. The latter saw a deflected effort go just wide after more good work by his strike partner.

However, the Northern Ireland youth international was not to be denied on 73 minutes when he turned on the edge of the box and fired a low drive into the bottom corner. Shouts of ‘finish’, highlighting the quality of it, could be heard from Wednesday’s substitutes warming up on the touchline. Not long after Moses had put the game to bed once and for all, Pedersen reappeared, once again sitting on the lofted perch of his office balcony.

Amid the increasing number of cries for Grainger and Moses to get more opportunities before the curtain falls on what has been a forgettable campaign for the Owls, Pedersen might not have a choice but to adhere to those demands. After all, Grainger and Moses are becoming impossible to ignore.