Three key changes that helped Sheffield Wednesday salvage precious point against Norwich City

In Tuesday's first half at Hillsborough, Rohl's philosophy was going down like a lead balloon.

Goalkeeper James Beadle got away with it when his poor kick picked out Norwich City midfielder Marcelino Nunez in the ninth minute, but not when he did it again less than minutes later.

Nunez found the net to double a lead Norwich had established when Bambo Diaby failed to head a long throw-in away and Josh Sargent ran off Akin Famewo to score.

The boos rang out amongst fans frustrated at their team ploughing on with playing out from the back even when it was not working against an in-form side chasing the play-offs. That in turn ebbed at the confidence of the players, leading to another cheaply-conceded throw-in on their right just before the half-hour.

When Beadle kicked long in the 21st minute, they cheered.

But when the Owls did finally work the ball out - from Barry Bannan in central midfield to left-back Famewo, across the back four and up the wing to Anthony Musaba, his cross was woefully overhit.

In their 5,000th league game and a crucial one in the Championship relegation battle it was just not happening for the home team. And Huddersfield Town were winning at Preston North End to boot.

Nunez twice missed good chances to make it 4-0 before the players were booed off at the break.

"The first five or six minutes the start was okay and then we came too late (into the press) and conceded a goal from a throw-in," said Rohl. "We lost belief in our pressing and came too late and if you come too late you have to run, you cannot create new self-confidence and it's a bit too much for us."

Stubbornness is a common trait in managers. "That's the way we play," is fast becoming football's number one excuse. But to Rohl's immense credit, he was prepared to change.

"I had to think (a)new at half-time," he admitted. "We changed three things: the players, the formation and the direction of play.

"My assistant coach said it was really brave to make four subs at half-time and not so many managers would do this but for me it was clear I had to do it."

"The direction of play" was significant too. With Callum Paterson introduced as a second striker alongside Michael Smith it was much easier and more effective to play from back to front.

"I just had a joke with their manager and I said he's the German Tony Pulis with how he played," chuckled Norwich manager David Wagner in reference to the former Owls manager notorious for long-ball tactics.

But just Paterson's energy - nothing as compared to Rohl's leaping in frustration along the touchline early in the second half - won back the crowd.

"I love our supporters and they know how important they are but sometimes in moments we need the feeling as a team," said Rohl. "If we're not playing well it's sometimes hard to do it but in the second half we created energy on the pitch, the crowd off the pitch.

"We need energy from the people around us because you feel it. The lift it gives us is maybe 10, 15 per cent more.

"I wanted to play with two strikers up front, Callum and Michael Smith, to give us the opportunity to create something and if we are strong in the opponent's half we can win throw-ins and set pieces (taken by another substitute, Will Vaulks). It was all or nothing.

"When you saw Callum running and how strong he was after three months out (injured), he was strong immediately and helpful."

But whilst chances started to come for Wednesday, time and again Norwich got in behind Kristian Pedersen, brought on to change from full-backs to wing-backs.

That was when Beadle - a 19-year-old on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion - came into his own, saving from Jack Stacey and Gabriel Sara breaking down the side as well as keeping out a Nunez free-kick.

"It could have been 3-0 and then we are not speaking like this," admitted Rohl.

"When you see such a young goalkeeper and how strong he is mentally, this is unbelievable. In some moments he will improve.

"I'm very convinced he will have a good career at a high level. I've worked with some good goalkeepers in the last 10 years I can compare him with.

"He made two or three big saves for us. I know you want to talk about the second goal but the second goal was not the issue."

What mattered most is that the Owls salvaged a point, Michael Ihiekwe then Smith heading in at the back post from Vaulks corners in the 78th and 86th minute as Huddersfield were subsiding to a 4-1 defeat.

Still in the relegation zone but only on goal difference, Wednesday are still in the fight, much better off for "the German Tony Pulis", Beadle holding his nerve and Hillsborough's support.