Match preview: Owls v Derby

31 December 2020

Wednesday have posted seven points from the last nine heading into the New Year’s Day clash with Derby.

The recent upturn in results means that a victory over the Rams could see the Owls move out of the bottom three for the first time this season.

But Wednesday – under the caretaker management of Neil Thompson – face a Derby side that have lost just one game in their last eight.

The Rams are 20th in the Championship but have picked up of late with three wins in the last six outings, including their midweek 4-0 triumph away at Birmingham.

MATCH DETAILS

- Date: Friday 1 January
- Kick-off, 5.30pm
- Championship
- Hillsborough

OFFICIALS

Referee - Matthew Donohue
Assistant Referee 1 - Richard Wild
Assistant Referee 2 - George Byrne
Fourth Official - David Webb

LIVE BROADCAST

Supporters should note that as this fixture is televised by Sky Sports, there is no standard iFollow coverage.

TEAM NEWS

SWFC: Joost van Aken (groin) and Adam Reach (hamstring) both missed out in our 2-1 win over Middlesbrough on Tuesday.

The duo will be assessed ahead of the clash with the Rams.

Julian Börner and Massimo Luongo are unlikely to feature as they continue with their respective recoveries from injury.

After a strong performance on Tuesday night at Hillsborough, Neil Thompson may opt to go with a similar squad on New Year’s Day.

Matt Penney made his first appearance since September in midweek, coming off the bench to replace Josh Windass for the final ten minutes.

The academy product could be involved again on Friday – his last outing was away at Fulham in the Carabao Cup.

Derby: The Rams will be without Martyn Waghorn, who serves the second game of his three-match ban.

The striker was sent off in Derby’s 1-0 defeat to Preston on Boxing Day.

Curtis Davies (Achilles) is set for a long spell out of action, while Tom Lawrence (ankle) is set to miss out.

FORM GUIDE

Wednesday: LLWDW
Derby: DDWLW

LAST FIVE v Derby

Owls 1-3 Derby – 29 February 2020 – Championship
Derby 1-1 Owls – 11 December 2019 – Championship
Derby 1-1 Owls – 9 March 2019 – Championship
Owls 1-2 Derby – 24 November 2018 – Championship
Owls 2-0 Derby – 13 February 2018 – Championship

Match Reports

Report: Wednesday 1-0 Derby

1 January 2021

A Callum Paterson second half strike saw Wednesday overcome basement rivals Derby to climb out of the relegation zone for the first time this season.

Patterson stooped to claim his fourth goal of the campaign as his side posted three successive home wins.

The Rams, though, will be kicking themselves after squandering a hatful of chances and that profligacy would cost them at least a share of the spoils.

Derby saw most of the ball through the early exchanges which led to two decent opportunities inside a minute.

Louie Sibley warmed the palms of Joe Wildsmith from distance and from the rebound Graham Shinnie had a fierce shot cleared off the line by Barry Bannan.

Wednesday launched their first attack through Kadeem Harris, who jinked his way down the left flank to pick out Adam Reach, whose lob was too high.

The Rams responded with a deft Matthew Clark effort that Tom Lees deflected wide before Wildsmith somehow kept out Krystian Bielik’s header from the resulting corner.

Derby went closer still from their next assault when Craig Forsyth floated a teasing cross into the danger zone from which Colin Kazim-Richards planted a diving header against the crossbar.

Bielik smashed narrowly wide on the turn as the Rams continued to turn the screw, but they were almost caught cold right on half time.

Bannan floated a wicked set piece into the box and Elias Kachunga, on for the injured Josh Windass, nodded wide with the goal gaping.

The Midlanders began the second half as they did the first and Sibley might have done better after being presented with a clear opening 12 yards out but shot wide of the target.

Forsyth then drilled a low feed that fizzed right into the corridor in front of goal, with Kazim-Richards a shoelace away converting on the charge.

But Wednesday hit back to take the lead just past the hour. Bannan’s set piece caused problems in the Rams’ rearguard and Paterson finished five yards out.

Derby committed numbers forward in search of a vital leveller and it was backs to the wall for Wednesday to the final whistle.

But the Owls made it over the line with a sturdy defensive display to begin the New Year in new Championship territory.

Wednesday: Wildsmith, Odubajo, Lees, Palmer, Shaw, Bannan, Pelupessy, Reach, Harris, Windass (Kachunga 37), Paterson (Rhodes 72)