Sheffield Wednesday v Barnsley: The moment that cost them and a performance second-best - where Owls lost South Yorkshire derby

Wednesday – unchanged in league matches for the third match running – weren’t anywhere near their slickest as the Tykes arrived full of chutzpah, took their chances and won out 2-0 thanks to goals from Devante Cole and James Norwood.

The result is Wednesday’s second defeat of the season against a fellow promotion hopeful and will leave the Owls scratching their chins as to why they weren’t able to grab more of a foothold in the battle.

Stocked with experience

The opening exchanges went one way, then the other, and with Jack Aitchinson Barnsley’s tormentor-in-chief, the visitors built up a decent head of steam.

Enter David Stockdale, all 36 years and 465 appearances of him, to use a bit of nous.

He took off his gloves, he took off his boot. He re-tied his laces. He stretched his legs.

That building Barnsley momentum was cut to size and allowed Wednesday to take a breath and go again.

A costly lapse

Wednesday took their stretch of time without conceding at Hillsborough over the seven-hour mark during the first half, but were undone by some lackadaisical defending.

Marvin Johnson perhaps hasn’t had the greatest season so far defensively and it was his poor touch that started Barnsley’s attack for their opener. It was unlucky that Michael Ihiekwe’s sliding effort bounced kindly for Devante Cole, who stroked home from an acute angle.

The Owls defence has come on leaps and bounds on this long stretch of dominance, of that there is little doubt, but it was a hairy moment they’d certainly have wanted to work better.

It was the low point of a first half in which Wednesday weren’t nearly good enough and failed to cope with Barnsley’s energy.

Over-playing?

The visitors put Wednesday under pressure on the ball from minute one and there were long stages during which the Owls looked nervous with the ball at feet.

The goal they conceded was a sore one and then in the second half they gifted opportunities to the Tykes attack with questionable efforts to keep possession, first through Stockdale and then Michael Ihiekwe. Dominic Iorfa didn’t look hugely confident on the ball under pressure.

Wednesday’s style of play has got them to where they are, with that impressive home record and nationally-renowned form in 2022, but there are days it doesn’t run for you and on those days it must be tempting to address what you’re doing and change things up.

There were moments of panic in there, which spread to the crowd.

Kudos to the visitors

As ever, the fingers will be pointed and analysis focused on Wednesday’s shortcomings, of which there were many on an afternoon they were second-best.

But a moment should be taken to doff the cap to Barnsley.

Inconsistent this season and in the early stages of a huge transitional period under Michael Duff, they offered an energy and slick performance the home team couldn’t cope with to become the first away side to win at S6 since Rotherham United in February – 14 matches ago.