Sheffield Wednesday 3 Wycombe 1: Owls start and end with a flourish to move up to third in League One

Owls keeper and ex-Chairboys favourite David Stockdale turned 37 this week, while Lee Gregory made his 50th appearance for the club on Saturday.

For Wycombe, this game at Hillsborough represented the tenth anniversary of Gareth Ainsworth’s epic spell in charge.

Their first victory still awaits.

They had a go in the second half after Wednesday dipped from their first half excellence following an opener after just 37 seconds.

It was decidedly nervy before Callum Paterson settled nerves right at the death when he fired home following a cross from fellow substitute Mallik Wilks. It was the last action of the game.

A day when the hosts started and finished the game with goals. They was also a fair bit in between.Wednesday, who handed first starts since August 16 to Will Vaulks and Ben Heneghan, looked the part in the autumn sunshine in the first half with fears that the game might be an arm wrestle soon evaporating.

That said, Wycombe were forced to reassess their game plan inside the first minute. Their response was initially strong - headed by the excellent Anis Mehmeti - but Wednesday’s riposte was even more impressive and crucially sustained.

They got joy against the Chairboys backline, especially on the flanks, with Jack Grimmer having a bit of a nightmare down the right in particular and was first to most things in midfield and won their battles, with Vaulks enjoying a sound return to the side.

A dream of a cross on the left from Johnson deserved to be buried and for Wycombe’s sake, it was unfortunately returning captain Jacobson who got the final touch at the far post with Smith breathing down his neck.

A brilliant save from Stockdale to keep out a low shot from Dominic Gape which he saw left soon maintained the Owls lead. But it did not last long.

Sublime close control and dancing feet from Mehmeti saw him bamboozle Heneghan and his neat pull-back found Vokes, who blasted home.Wednesday cast aside the blow and dominated the rest of the half as Wycombe gave them far too much room.

Vaulks saw a rising shot tipped over. The hosts produced some lovely interchanges and their second was a cracker.

Wycombe were caught from their own free-kick and Gregory swept the ball to Smith, who drove at the visiting defence on the right before a fine pinpoint low cross picked on the onrushing Bannan.

It was a super goal and Vaulks, Gregory and Josh Windass had further chances before the break as Wycombe toiled.

The visitors, perhaps stirred by a few Ainsworth words at the break, were more imposing on the resumption and posted a warning when Jason McCarthy headed a good chance over from Grimmer’s centre.

Wednesday could not hit their first-half heights with another chance, albeit not as dangerous, seeing Stockdale grasp Mehmeti’s low shot at his near post.

The Owls struggled to get going. A flurry of corners midway through the half were squandered, with the impression growing that the hosts would need a third goal or run the risk of experiencing an anxious finale.

There was relief when Paterson sealed it.