Wednesday stepped up their preparations for 2013/14 with an impressive 1-0 win over Rangers at Hillsborough.
Michail Antonio scored the only goal in the first half and although that was the only strike of an entertaining encounter, the home side were good overall value for the victory.
The game was the Owls’ only pre-season friendly in S6 ahead of the new campaign and the lively near 5,000 travelling contingent from north of the border made for a cracking atmosphere in S6.
Wednesdayites were in good voice too and they almost had something to cheer inside the first few minutes when Gary Madine firstly just failed to get his head to a Joe Mattock cross then put his next effort narrowly wide when he did connect, this time from Antonio’s feed.
Jermaine Johnson brought a comfortable save from Scott Gallacher as Wednesday continued in the ascendancy – and they duly scored from their next attack on 12 minutes.
Joe Mattock swung over a corner that landed nicely at the back post for Antonio to prod home and put the Owls into the lead.
Attacking their huge following in the first half, Rangers struggled to make any real inroads, with Chris Kirkland a virtual spectator.
The Owls asked almost all of the questions but suffered a setback when Kirkland was withdrawn on the half-hour mark – Adam Davies came on to make his Wednesday debut.
The visitors did start to make more advances in the final third as the interval approached but Davies remained untroubled guarding his goal in front of the travelling hordes.
Wednesday started the second half with Johnson in threatening mood and one run in particular moments after the resumption saw the Jamaican fly past three defenders.
Both he and Antonio had shots saved by Gallacher as the Owls continued on top and when Gers did manage to break forward, through Nicky Law on the hour, the chance was spurned from close range.
Madine stabbed over the bar at the other end before Rangers could and should have levelled on 69 minutes.
Kyle McAusland fired a shot in from distance that Davies could only parry but the onrushing Mohsni somehow spooned over with the goal at his mercy and Rangers’ best opportunity of the game went begging.
Owls: Kirkland, Palmer, Mattock, McCabe (Coke 71), Taylor, Zayatte, Antonio, Prutton (Semedo 56), Madine, J Johnson (Corry 64), Helan (Maguire 49)
Rangers: Gallacher, Faure, Cribari (Mohsni 61), McAusland (Smith 72), Wallace (Peralta 72), McCulloch (Clark 62), Little (Foster 61), Black, Daly, Macleod (Crawford 72), Law