The Owls and the Tykes fought out a tense goalless draw on Saturday as neither side showed enough in the final third to settle the game.

A handful of chances were created at both ends but the two goalkeepers were hardly called into real action, although Wednesday looked the more likely at a blustery Oakwell.

Brian Laws made two changes from the side that beat Cardiff last weekend at Hillsborough. Suspended winger Jermaine Johnson was replaced by Burton O'Brien while Richard Hinds came in at right back for hamstring victim Lee Bullen. Richard Wood took the armband in the absence of the club captain.

After a typically tight derby opening, the Owls had a half-hearted penalty appeal turned down when Marciano Van Homoet tangled with Wade Small in the box. The winger remonstrated but to no avail with referee Tanner, who firmly waved play on.

Barnsley carved their first opportunity on nine minutes as Jon Macken turned to find space just outside the penalty area but his curling effort sailed past Lee Grant's upright.

Diego Leon tried a pot shot from distance that failed to trouble Grant, while Graham Kavanagh's free kick caused confusion in the Barnsley box and keeper Luke Steele tipped over his crossbar after a deflection from team mate Stephen Foster.

Small picked up a harsh yellow card for diving when a free kick looked the more likely decision and Reds defender Bobby Hassell joined Small in the book moments later for a scything challenge on Marcus Tudgay. Rob Kozluk also went into the referee's notebook for a foul on the same player.

Much of the action continued to unfold in a congested engine room as both sides struggled to create in the final third. The Owls stamped some authority on the contest either side of the half hour mark, winning four quickfire corners but failing to call Steele into action.

Wednesday almost took the lead five minutes before the interval but Tudgay just failed to connect with Enoch Showunmi's intelligent cross. The Owls came closer still two minutes later when Wood somehow headed Kavanagh's free kick over from right beneath the bar.

Hinds drove a fierce shot wide on the whistle and Wednesday went into the break well in the ascendancy but with no goals to show for their efforts.

The hosts started the second period with more purpose as SWFC struggled to find their impetus of the first 45. Laws sent on loan recruit Ben Sahar in place of Small in a bid to regain the upper hand.

A second Owls player, Adam Bolder, was then booked for diving, triggering a two-match ban for the midfielder after reaching ten cautions for the season.

O'Brien found an opening in the centre of the 'D' just past the hour but could only launch a tame shot straight into the midriff of Steele and Showunmi should have done better after racing clear down the left but he too failed to force the keeper into a serious save.

Sahar struck a rasping drive that was safely stored by Steele as Wednesday started to up the ante; O'Brien floated two dangerous corners into the mix but still that elusive clear cut chance failed to materialise.

The Tykes responded with Brian Howard heading straight at Grant from a corner and that chance proved the best of the entire half as the closing stages were then played out without either keeper again called into action.

There was still time for late drama, though, as Kozluk saw his first half yellow upgraded to red for a rash challenge on Tudgay and O'Brien's long ranger thumped the post and finished the wrong side of Steele's left upright.

Owls (4-4-2): Grant; Hinds, Beevers, Wood, Gilbert (Spurr 72); Small (Sahar 54), Bolder, Kavanagh, O'Brien; Showunmi (Burton 78), Tudgay

Unused subs: Burch, Wallwork

Barnsley (4-4-2): Steele; Van Homoet, Foster, Nyatanga, Kozluk; Campbell-Ryce (Coulson 84), Hassell, Howard, Leon (Devaney 78); Macken, Nardiello (Odejayi 60)

Unused subs: Togwell, Ferenczi

Referee: Steve Tanner

Attendance: 18,257