Owls boss, Brian Laws, was delighted to see summer signing, Akpo Sodje, sink Barnsley in a 1-0 win at Hillsborough on Tuesday night.

The powerful front man's strike on the hour mark proved the difference for Laws men in a keenly contested derby in S6 and the manager was delighted with the result.

"When you are in a local derby surely you are not going to expect flowing football, playing like you're Brazil. It was a heavy pitch, they are at it, they are a team that's in form, we are a team in form, neither wants to give an inch. That's how it was in the first half and I thought it needed something special to break the deadlock," Laws said.

And something special duly arrived in the 15th minute of the second half when a superbly delivered free kick by Burton O'Brien was headed emphatically home by Sodje in front of the Kop.

"The ball in from O'Brien was sensational and what a finish from Sodje!" Laws exclaimed. "He out-jumped everybody, timed his leap to perfection and smashed it in the back of the net.

"I am very pleased for him because he has been the catalyst in the way we have been working in this run. He sets things off with his energy and commitment and everybody is delighted for him. He has got the biggest grin you could ever see and rightly so."

While it was a fine team performance from the Owls, Laws also noted Lee Grant's third clean sheet in succession as a major factor in securing the result.

"Lee Grant was outstanding against QPR and won us a point and tonight he has won us three because he had to pull out some great saves. We had a little bit of luck as well but it deserted us at the start of the season and now we are certainly getting our share of it," the Wednesday chief added.

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