Sheffield Wednesday recorded their first away win of the season with a 3-1 victory at Plymouth Argyle on Saturday afternoon.

The Owls went ahead through Richard Wood's header and saw the advantage doubled by Marcus Tudgay's penalty. Wednesday experienced a nervous period approaching the end of the game following Alan Gow's impressive free kick in the 80th minute before Tudgay scored his second in stoppage time.

Brian Laws named the same team that beat Scunthorpe United 4-0 seven days earlier, the seven changes made for the Carling Cup on Tuesday at Port Vale reversed for the game on the Devon coast. Luke Varney returned to the Wednesday starting line-up after being cup tied to partner Marcus Tudgay.

Despite a fairly subdued start from both sides, the Owls looked potent, with Jermaine Johnson making strong runs down the left. Just inside the fourth minute the Jamaica winger burst into the box and provided for Varney to stab home at the far post only to be flagged offside.

Plymouth possessed their own threat though and Cillian Sheridan headed over unmarked from an Argyle corner just moments later.

There were just eight minutes on the clock when Wednesday received a blow as Michael Gray stretched for the ball and ended up clutching his back - the Owls being forced to replace him with Sean McAllister.

Wednesday's defenders were kept on their toes, Purse nodding the ball behind for a corner with Sheridan ready to pounce in the 14th minute and Richard Wood then having to block from the Celtic loanee as the Owls struggled to clear their lines a couple of minutes later.

Laws' men were working hard as a team and with Darren Potter providing a calming influence in the midfield it always looked like the Owls could create. Just after the half-hour mark they did just that - Potter spreading the ball out to the left for Johnson to jink inside and force a corner.

Potter provided from that corner, Tudgay heading back across goal for Wood to head in from close range for a second consecutive Championship match in the 33rd minute. It was almost identical to the way Wednesday opened the scoring against Scunthorpe a week earlier and gave the Owls a foundation to build on in.

The Owls had a great chance to double their advantage just before half time as Varney raced down the right beating Icelandic defender Kari Arnason for pace before pulling back to Tudgay, who struck over the crossbar from 16 yards.

Unsurprisingly, the Pilgrims came out with more purpose after the break and quickly forced a free kick but it was eight minutes into the second period when Plymouth really tested the Owls' resolve.

Captain, Carl Fletcher launched a long range shot with his right foot which smacked off the outside of Lee Grant's left-hand post.



Wednesday were immediately on the counter-attack though with Johnson racing into the Plymouth half and on towards the home side's penalty area before sliding Varney through for a one-on-one. Fortunately for Plymouth, goalkeeper, Romain Larrieu was off his line quickly to smother at the Derby loanee's feet but it illustrated the home team's vulnerability in the face of the Wednesday pair's pace.

Midway through the second half the Owls were weathering considerable pressure from their hosts but were well drilled in closing down their opponents and defending solidly.

Wednesday continued to counter with real purpose, Johnson drawing a foul from centre half Marcel Seip which saw a yellow card brandished. Moments later the same defender fouled Varney in the penalty area but did not see a second yellow.

Harsher punishment perhaps was the sight of Marcus Tudgay stepping up to hammer home the spot kick in the 72nd minute, even though Larrieu managed to get a hand to it.



Plymouth secured a foothold back in the match though with ten minutes remaining through Alan Gow's superb 25-yard curling free kick into the top near corner, which Grant could do nothing about.

Suddenly the pressure was on the Owls and there was a collective sigh of relief from the travelling contingent when Gary Sawyer headed wide with Grant trying to recover ground following a free kick given away out wide by Tommy Spurr.

Potter denied Mackie as the game approached stoppage time but Tudgay kept his cool to score his third goal of the season and wrap up a convincing 3-1 result.

Sheffield Wednesday (4-4-2): Grant; Buxton, Wood, Purse, Spurr; Gray (McAllister 11), O'Connor, Potter, Johnson (Miller 82); Varney (Sodje 88), Tudgay.

Subs not used: O'Donnell, Hinds, Beevers, Esajas, Sodje.

Booked: Varney 46, Wood 59, Johnson 62

Plymouth Argyle (4-4-2): Larrieu; Blake, Arnason, Seip, Sawyer; Judge, Fletcher, Paterson, Mackie; Gow, Sheridan.

Subs not used: Letheren, Timar, Clark, Summerfield, Noone, MacLean, Fallon.

Booked: Arnason 53, Seip 69, Paterson 89

Referee: A Haines

Attendance: 10,228 (1,174 away)