Sheffield Wednesday got their season up and running with a 1-0 Carabao Cup win over Bolton Wanderers.

Owls boss Henrik Pedersen felt the importance of an opening day Carabao Cup win over Bolton Wanderers - and hailed the changing nature of his squad options as a major factor in the victory.

The win arrived to the backdrop of a fierce supporter response to a lacklustre pre-season friendly defeat at Oldham Athletic the previous weekend and saw Wednesday grow into the match, with Jamal Lowe’s deftly-finished winner providing deserved passage into the second round.

The momentum of the game turned on Xavier Simons’ headloss red card after which the home side used the ball effectively and showed greater energy to take advantage of their extra man. After a debacle season in which such limited squad numbers reduced Pedersen’s ability to make match-altering substitutions, the introduction of Louie Barry and Lowe from the bench just after the hour helped Wednesday take control and grab a first home win at the first time of asking.

“Two wins in a row in Hillsborough?” Pedersen said with a grin in conversation with The Star. “Of course it's important. We want to have a top season, and to have a top season you have to learn how to win. And we found a way to win. How the boys stayed in the game and how the boys kept believing through the game, also when it was difficult, it's made me really, really happy. And it gives me more belief, it gives us all more hunger, that we want more.”

That double sub was something Wednesday will see much more of this season, the Dane explained, with front-foot pressing and high energy a vital component in what he wants his side to be built around. Last season ‘when you were fit, you played’, he said, and with more attacking additions searched for, the hope would be that he has more to play with before the window closes on September 1.

The response to the pre-season result at Boundary Park shows that Pedersen has fans to win over in terms of being the man to take Wednesday forward into their new era, but with positive tactical interventions made and a win under the belt, the win perhaps serves as a step in the right direction. The arrival of bench options feels an encouraging one for a boss criticised from some areas of the stands for not making enough changes early enough last time out.

He continued: “I knew before the game that we would change around 60, and that we want to increase the intensity, and we have spoken about it in the squad also, that we have to get used to it, that we change things earlier than last season. And I think it was good to see Harry examined today, on the left side he really stepped in this game.

“And then when we were 11 against 10, I took Jarvis out, we put Slattery down at six beside Barry, put Harry inside, and then we had Louie Barry left to bring in, and Jordi, and then we had Jamal up. So, yes, I'm happy for the win, but we also go for a win with the offensive changes we did in the game.”