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Sheffield Wednesday 1 Fulham 2: Home-grown Owls ensure silver lining to FA Cup exit
A LATE goal by Fulham striker Andy Johnson knocked Sheffield Wednesday out of the FA Cup but the club's credibility took other steps in the right direction.
Click here to read Brian Laws thoughts on the match and the next few weeks.
With eight players ruled out by injury and two loanees gone, the Owls had only 10 senior players available for this third round tie.
Fulham had seven internationals sitting on the bench, the Owls had five teenagers and two empty seats.
All things being equal, it should have been a walk in the park for Roy Hodgson's side; ninth in the Premier League and chasing UEFA Cup qualification.
However, the Owls produced the sort of gutsy, well-organised display that is the trademark of FA Cup upsets.
If only Hodgson had gambled by resting more than two players, who knows, the Owls might have ended their eight year wait for a place in the FA Cup fourth round?
As it was, they were only two minutes away from securing a replay at Craven Cottage when Johnson scored the winner and his second goal of the game.
It was cruel luck on the Owls who had played with passion and energy but failed to take full advantage of their openings.
Jamaican international Jermaine Johnson blew two golden opportunities in the first half and striker Francis Jeffers should have scored deep into injury time.
Defender Tommy Spurr had equalised for the Owls after Johnson put Fulham ahead on 12 minutes.
One strike was a bullet through the keyhole, the other was a cannonball smashing through the front door. Both goals were outstanding in their own right.
Johnson spun away from a marker on the edge of area and latched onto a slide-rule pass from Danny Murphy.
With one flick of the boot, the striker pushed the ball through the goalkeeper's legs.
Spurr, on the other hand, picked up a pass from Sean McAllister 30 yards out, looked up, let fly, and watched the ball sail into the top corner of the net.
"That is probably the best goal of my career," he admitted afterwards. "The gaffer wanted me to shoot more and had also told us to express ourselves and enjoy it without pressure."
Spurr was delighted to be among the academy graduates in the Owls side but acknowledged the need for more experience between now and the end of the season.
"We need people in there to steady the ship and give the younger lads the benefit of some experience," he said. "I was probably one of the most experienced in the team so, hopefully, we will soon get a few people back.
"It is not for me to say whether we need to strengthen," he added. "But the squad we have got, when it is fit, is a strong squad that can do well in the Championship.
"At least when you have got ten out of 16 coming from the Academy, it is great for Sheffield Wednesday and means we don't have to go out and spend a load of money on people coming in."
Spurr, 21, was one of three home-grown players in the Owls defence alongside captain Richard Wood, 23, and Mark Beevers,19.
Luke Boden, 20, made only his second start of the season on the wing as a replacement for the injured Marcus Tudgay, while Sean McAllister, 21, is now a regular fixture in the centre of the park.
On the bench, the Owls had Arron Jameson, Rocky Lekaj, and Sam Liversidge (who are all 19) and Max Wragg and Nathan Modest, who are only 17.
Both Lekaj and Modest were introduced towards the end.
Despite suggestions that he planned to field a weakened side, Fulham manager Roy Hodgson had rested only two of the players who had held Chelsea to a draw last time out, namely John Pantsil and Simon Davies.
Owls manager Brian Laws expressed the hope that his players would have benefited from playing against the likes of Johnson, Bobby Zamora, and Danny Murphy.
They certainly didn't let themselves down.
With new faces on the Owls board, who are vowing not to sell the club's best young players, there is an air of optimism around Hillsborough again.
Even the disappointment of going out of the Cup won't damage that.
Sheffield Wednesday: Grant; Buxton, Wood, Beevers, Spurr; Small (Modest 77), McAllister, O'Connor, Boden; Jeffers, J.Johnson (Lekaj 88). Unused substitutes: Jameson, Liversidge, Wragg.
Fulham: Schwarzer; Stoor, Hughes, Hangeland, Konchesky; Dempsey, Murphy, Etuhu, Gray (Davies 77); A.Johnson, Zamora (Nevland 69). Unused substitutes: Zuberbuhler, Pantsil, Andreasen, Kallio, Baird.
Referee: L Mason (Lancashire).MATCH FOCUS
Hero: Tommy Spurr
His super goal put the cap on an impressive all-round display. It was just a shame that he had to be on the losing side having put in such an impressive display. One of the many home-grown Owls in the side, this was a proud day for the club, despite the defeat.
Villain: Bobby Zamora
Chants of 'cheat, cheat, cheat' echoed around Hillsborough after the Fulham striker over-reacted to a challenge from Wednesday defender Richard Wood.
Key moment
88th minute: Fulham striker Andy Johnson escapes the attention of his marker to score a close-range winner.
Ref watch
Lee Mason: Top marks for the official who communicated well with the players and kept the game flowing.
Verdict
Cruel luck on the young Owls who pushed a strong Fulham side all the way but paid for a lack of cutting edge.
Next game
Ipswich Town v Sheffield Weds, Saturday January 10, Championship, 3.00
Quote of the day
We need people in there to steady the ship and give the younger lads the benefit of some experience.
– Sheffield Wednesday scorer Tommy Spurr reveals the need for some older, wiser heads.
Big match talking points from Hillsborough
They are talking about the 'dawn of a new era' at Hillsborough and I spotted John Hemmingham in the directors box on Saturday. Is that significant?
Definitely. Hemmingham, as you may or may not know, was banned from all corporate areas of the stadium by former chairman Dave Allen and the ban was only removed last week following the departure of chief executive Kaven Walker.
Who is Hemmingham and what difference does it make?
He is the former chairman of 'Wednesdayite', the supporters group who own a 10 per cent stake in the club. He is also the leader of a band of musicians who are good enough to play for England but who were kicked out of Hillsborough by the old regime.
So does that mean Wednesday will soon be rocking again to the sound of trumpets and drums?
Possibly so. That is good news, if you like the atmosphere they generate, bad news if you don't and sit within a few rows of their location in the Kop End!
Whose idea is that?
New directors Nick Parker and Lee Strafford are looking at various ways of improving the club's image and winning back supporters. They invited Hemmingham to attend Saturday's game as a guest of the board. It was a thank you for his work in fund-raising and boosting the club's profile in the past.
Finally, back to the football... it was Johnson versus Johnson on Saturday. Jermaine for Wednesday and Andy for Fulham. Any points for guessing the winner?
None, I'm afraid. One showed the class that warranted eight England caps by scoring two goals, the other showed a distinct lack of cutting edge.
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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