‘A good battle’ – Sheffield Wednesday’s Adam Reach reflects on derby result against Sheffield United

It’s the overriding feeling for fans and players ahead of the derby and Monday night it was no different for Sheffield Wednesday’s Adam Reach.

The Owls midfielder played the full 90 minutes in a bitty match between the Steel City’s rival clubs as neither side could break the deadlock under the lights at Hillsborough.

Reflecting on the clash, Reach told the Star: "I thought it was a good battle and both teams put everything into it.

“We maybe lacked a little bit of quality at times and confidence to get the ball down and play and there was not much football played in the second half.

“But everyone is in the same boat when these games come around and you just don't want to lose it. Emotions are high and the atmosphere is always extra special.

“You need to get caught up into it for a certain extent and win your battles and tackles and headers. Then you also need your calmness as well to step out of that and bring the ball down and play.

"When you don't lose in a derby, it is always a positive result. On another day, we could have won the game - but also lose it.

“At the end of the day, we are all happy in there and the manager spoke about how well we have done recently against some good teams.”

Wednesday’s best chance of the match fell to derby-debutant Sam Hutchinson, who latched onto Rolando Aarons’ well-worked cross but was unable to poke it past Blades ‘keeper Dean Henderson.

But Reach says despite the missed opportunity, the Owls will focus on their next match against Frank Lampard’s Derby County as they look to maintain their unbeaten run under manager Steve Bruce.

“I thought we worked tremendously hard and it was a valiant effort,” he said. “But we maybe lacked a bit of quality. We drew the game and we move on now.

"He has actually caught it too well. If he'd actually scuffed it, it probably would have gone in. Hutch was all over the pitch, as he is.

“The chance epitomises him, he is breaking the play up at one end and then he is getting in the box at the other. On another night, that would have gone in and we take all three points.

“But we move on and we have got games coming up now that we think are winnable and now until the end of March, we will hopefully pick up a lot of points and see where it takes us.

“Now we need to rest up and focus on the next run of games, because on paper, we look at them and think they are winnable. But in the Championship, every game is tough and everyone is fighting for their lives.

“We need to focus again, keep our confidence high and work as hard as we did against those teams. If we do that, I think the quality will come.”