Wade Small's excellent first goal for the Owls and Chris Brunt's fourth strike of the season helped to earn Wednesday a 2-2 draw at Molineux to make it two matches unbeaten under acting manager Sean McAuley. On-loan goalkeeper Brad Jones also produced a fine display to twice deny Leon Clarke a hat-trick, after the youngster's double had led the hosts to a share of the spoils.
It was a strange atmosphere at Molineux for a clash between two sides with expectant followings who had suffered setbacks in recent weeks. McAuley named an unchanged line-up following the 3-2 win over QPR while there was an air of uncertainty about a Wolves side which had lost 3-0 to local rivals West Brom last time out.
McAuley had warned his charges to expect an early backlash from the hosts after that defeat but, when the Owls made a sloppy start, Jay Bothroyd headed over from a corner after just 33 seconds. Wolves continued to charge forward but, by the time Bothroyd went off injured after 11 minutes, the visitors had largely taken the sting out of the hosts' early fire.
By the middle of the half, Wednesday had gained the ascendancy, and home keeper Matt Murray did well to tip over Marcus Tudgay's long-range effort. Then Deon Burton beat Murray to a loose ball but shot tamely at the keeper with an empty net gaping. But, just as it seemed the Owls were getting comfortable, they fell behind in unfortunate style. Jamie Clapham sent over a cross from the left and Tommy Spurr appeared to be bundled over by Clarke before the burly striker headed home unchallenged. Wednesday's appeals for a foul were to no avail.
To their credit, the Owls were undeterred. Within five minutes, Small had seen a shot well saved and Murray had done even better to foil Madjid Bougherra's powerful header from Kenny Lunt's free-kick. Then they had the equaliser their endeavour merited through a fine piece of individual play from Small. The pacy winger left defenders trailing in his wake as he cut in from the right but was partially tackled by home skipper Jody Craddock just as he entered shooting range. Fortunately, the ball rebounded kindly to leave the 22-year-old with just Murray to beat from 15 yards and he made no mistake with a cool finish.
Wolves had looked most threatening through their towering frontmen Clarke and Carl Cort and, with 6ft 3in Seyi Olofinjana in midfield, the Owls were in danger of being bullied at the back. That was the case twice in the closing stages of the half, as Olofinjana headed wide when he should have done better from close range - Yoann Folly did brilliantly to put him off - and Cort out-muscled Spurr before skewing his shot horribly wide.
Home boss Mick McCarthy would doubtless have been looking for more urgency from his side after the break but instead it was Wednesday who continued to look the more assured. Brunt's 53rd-minute strike came midway through a period in which the Owls launched a sustained assault on the home goal. Moments earlier, Bougherra had beaten Murray to a Lunt free-kick and Tudgay's goalbound shot was blocked wide by Rob Edwards; John Hills wasn't far away with a speculative drive when the resulting corner broke to him.
Then clever play by Burton gave Small space inside the area. His low shot was parried to Tudgay, who saw another effort blocked. But the ball bounced nicely for Brunt, who buried his shot at the far post from ten yards to the delight of the 1,200 travelling fans.
Wolves' threat continued to be mostly an aerial one, with Craddock and Clarke both heading over when they might have done better. Brad Jones was also called upon to continue a good display by saving Ricketts' skidding long-range shot.
It was another Ricketts run from the left which led to the hosts' equaliser. The former Tottenham midfielder appeared to have over-run the ball but Hills slipped as he attempted to clear the danger and succeeded only in prodding it to Clarke. It sat up nicely for the 21-year-old to smash home his second of the game.
By now, Hills was facing a stern test down his flank from substitute Lewis Gobern and, twice in quick succession, the winger's driving runs required Jones to deny Clarke his hat-trick. Firstly Gobern picked out the frontman, whose header was well saved by the Aussie. Then he did even better to cut out a low cross which would have given Clarke sight of an open goal from point-blank range.
Wednesday were forced to play the seven minutes of injury time with ten man as, having used all three substitutes, they saw Spurr stretchered off with a head injury following a collision with Jones. But they held out with few alarms to secure a deserved point and end Wolves' run of three straight home wins.
Wolves: Murray; Edwards, Breen, Craddock (Little 66), Clapham; Potter (Gobern 57), Olofinjana, Henry, Ricketts; Clarke, Bothroyd (Cort 11). Subs: Ikeme, Davies.
Wednesday (4-4-2): Jones; Simek, Bougherra, Spurr, Hills; Small (Whelan 60), Folly, Lunt, Brunt; Tudgay (Talbot 81), Burton (MacLean 81). Subs: Adamson, Bullen.
Attendance: 20,637
Referee: R Lewis
Booked: Hills (foul) 4 mins, Lunt (foul) 90+6 mins
