Rocky Balboa, minefields and Josh Windass: How Sheffield Wednesday handed out a spanking to Cambridge United

A hat-trick from Josh Windass and goals for Michael Smith and Liam Palmer did the business on an afternoon the Owls were better than their opposition in every respect and dominated to the point of embarrassment save for a brief first-half period in which the visitors hit the crossbar.

If questions were fairly asked of Wednesday’s attacking slow-up in December, their start to January couldn’t have shaken them off with much more confidence.

Windass back in the thick of it..

For Josh Windass to play just four minutes in back-to-back matches for Sheffield Wednesday came as something of a surprise perhaps and without BarryBannan in the side, the former Rangers man was pushed into the role of number 10 behind Paterson and Michael Smith.

It didn’t take long for him to make his mark. A long, arching ball over the top from George Byers found Windass’ boot and with decent touch, pace, strength and composure he made it 1-0 with his first league goal since October – and added two more with confident finishes into the far corner.

Does he have a point to prove? If that wee stint out of the side has put a fire in his belly we’ll see – he looked hungry and caused Cambridge no end of trouble.

It was Wednesday’s first hat-trick since Saido Berahino’s against.. Cambridge United.

No Barry? No worries..

Tougher tests there will be if Bannan is to miss any length of time in Wednesday’s season – Cambridge turned up depleted in numbers and devoid of quality – but as an examination goes on how the Owls are equipped to deal without him, they did pretty well.

Windass floated around nicely in the 10, Will Vaulks seemed to drop a little deeper and George Byers was given licence to spray balls about and control the tempo.

Sure, Cambridge played with a defensive line so high it was the footballing equivalent of electing to tap-dance on a minefield but from Wednesday’s let’s-bop-another-over-the-top perspective it worked nicely.

Wednesday played with their chest out. They’re a better team than Cambridge and again it showed.

Pato’n the back..

Maligned in some quarters of the fan base, Paterson continued his resurgence, leaving a gang of Lazarus, Jesus Christ and Rocky Balbao impressed at his powers of bouncebackability.

The Scot was as busy and as bustling as ever and caused issues for the visitors on and off the ball.

It ain’t always pretty, but he makes things happen and must be a nightmare to play up against. As a League One option, he’s beyond handy.

Wilks-he-won’t-he?

It’s not cruel to say Mallik Wilks hasn’t quite set the floor alight at S6 since his summer arrival from Hull City.

But shuffled into a right wing-back position, the 24-year-old had the bit between his teeth; running at defenders, twisting and turning his way into crossing opportunities. He bagged his first assist since October.

What becomes of Wilks at Wednesday will become clearer in the months and years to come, but as far as an attacking performance goes, there were moments to be encouraged by.