Sheffield Wednesday won 2-1 at Peterborough United to continue their swift early season progress.

Sheffield Wednesday boss Henrik Pedersen stopped short of praising the fluidity of his side’s battling win at Peterborough United - but superseded it with huge praise for the spirit and culture shown by the squad as they recorded their third on-the-road win from three.

The Owls have raced to the top of the table after the early kick-off victory, which saw Kieran Morrison force a Posh own goal before Yan Valery bagged the winner. Ben Woods had equalised for the home side and a triple substitution to introduce Billy Mitchell, Ali Al-Hamadi and Mason Burstow provided the legs Wednesday needed to take back-to-back wins from a gruelling week.

Speaking with a sense of relief and pride after the game, Pedersen said: “I think it was a culture game. It was a game where we wanted to have much more from the football level, from our pressing on the ball. But for me it was a clear third game in a week.

“It was also clear that we have many new players today. Because when you have new players and we are not so strong in all the relations yet, then everyone starts to play a little bit more alone. They do all what they can, but they still play alone.

“So all the synergies, all the connections, was not the strongest today from the football side. But the connection from the culture side was amazing. And how the boys are working from the first to the last moment. They do everything. They put everything on the pitch. So it was a strong, strong culture game.”

Mitchell produced a star turn coming on alongside the two forwards and was a surprise exclusion from the line-up, explaining the decision to leave him out was due to groin trouble. Wednesday are fusing the implementation of 18 senior players and four wins from five speaks to a fiercely encouraging start.

“With Billy, I couldn't start with Billy, his groin was so tight,” Pedersen explained. “There will be too much risk. We let Keillor-Dunn start, it's also his first game. All we have really done is we have spoken on the tactic board. And of course, it's also difficult for him.

“And then for Kieran, it was also his first game. So to integrate those three in one time. From the football perspective, there are a lot of things we want to do better. But again, from the culture side, I think we have to be really, really proud. And we have really a group who are burning for Sheffield Wednesday. They'll do everything for the club.”

A second away trip in a few days took its toll on parts of the Wednesday squad who didn’t get out of the clash without injury concerns. Experienced centre-half Liam Cooper was replaced at half-time having battled through the latter stages of the win at Wycombe and Pedersen didn’t seem entirely sure whether his issue was totally fatigue-related.

“I think there's more things,” he said. “He was very tired. Let's see tomorrow when we see him.” Pressed on whether he felt it was an injury or a case of fatigue, he said: “I don't know. I hope the latter.”

Defenders are becoming something of an endangered species at Hillsborough at current with Di’Shon Bernard, Sil Swinkels, RIcardo Santos, Max Lowe and Di’Shon Bernard all out at current. Match-winner Valery was taken off late and left the field walking gingerly - though he looked in good spirits when saluting the fans post-match.

“I think he had cramps and he was really, really tired,” Pedersen said. “He ran a lot today. He played another strong game. So it was right also to take him off.”

On Santos, who failed a late fitness test and has been missing since the win against Bromley with an ankle knock, he said: “I hope he will be back soon. Maybe next week, but let's see. We need to have a little bit of patience with this. But I really hope that he will be back soon.”