Sheffield Wednesday: Overnight tumble reiterates mantra Owls players and fans must remember in promotion race

That’s been the message of Sheffield Wednesday manager Darren Moore all season. And as much as it’s a well-trotted out football cliche, it makes a whole lot of sense as the League One promotion race rolls into its final weeks.

There was nothing the Owls could do last night but watch on as just about every result went against them and they fell into eighth place in the league, Saturday’s defeat at Lincoln City still lingering as a disappointing outlier in their sparkling recent form.

Playoff rivals MK Dons, Plymouth Argyle and Sunderland all took three points from their matches, while outliers Ipswich Town and Portsmouth cut their deficit to Wednesday to four and two points respectively.

It all means that Wednesday have taken a tumble in a form table they have otherwise dominated in recent weeks, falling to sixth in the six-match table and fifth in the eight-match stakes.

These are nervy times in the promotion shake-up but the fact is that Wednesday are well within striking distance of those in the fight for the top six and have have games in hand on all but Plymouth Argyle – two on three of the four teams occupying the current playoff places.

And while Moore’s steady-as-you-go message to his players has been steadfast, his words after a 2-0 win over Charlton Athletic earlier this month made clear his feeling on the role Wednesday supporters have to play in the short and long-term future of his reign.

“It’s not me Darren Moore, the manager,” Moore said. “I’m just a cog in it. Everybody has to play their part, the players, the fans, everybody, in turning this club around and getting that good feeling and fortunes back in here, to get people coming back in here, proud and supporting their team.

“We’ve tried to build a competitive team, but to build a connection with the fans. It was a broken club here and we still have work to do, but it’s down to everybody.

“We want unity, we want oneness, we want togetherness and you get that from performances like that. Hopefully the fans are seeing a group of players that care about the club, it means a lot to them.”