Sheffield United 2 Sheffield Wednesday 2: Montgomery back to marshal Blades but spirited Wednesday earn belated reward

For the Steel City derby is not just any old game and a defeat to Sheffield United hurts them far more than a defeat to any another club.

The Owls were only four minutes away from such a defeat when Gary Madine scored a controversial equaliser.

And after spending the majority of the game trailing by two goals, it was easy to understand why the result sparked such joy among Wednesday supporters.

Manager Gary Megson joined in the celebrations on the pitch, kissing a club badge on his jacket in a gesture to the Owls supporters.

For Blades manager Danny Wilson, however, there was a sense of disappointment but definitely not dismay.

For the Blades had raised their game after dropping out of the League One play-off zone and were so close to giving their supporters victory.

And Wilson, the first manager to cross the Steel City divide, had taken another huge step towards winning over his doubters at Bramall Lane, those who feel there is no such thing as transferred loyalty.

It was the first time the derby had been played in the third tier of English football since 1980 and the first meeting between the clubs for two seasons.

Although Bramall Lane was not a sell-out, the Owls had sold their full allocation of 4,300 tickets.

In addition, another 11,000 Owls supporters were watching a live beamback at Hillsborough – the second biggest attendance for a League One game this weekend.

The Blades had signed Blackpool duo Billy Clarke and Matt Phillips on loan ahead of the game but both started on the bench.

Wilson made three changes to the side beaten by Charlton Athletic in the Blades’ previous league game with captain Nick Montgomery, striker Richard Cresswell and on-loan defender Marcus Williams preferred to Michael Doyle, Chris Porter and Lecsinel Jean-Francois.

Defender Reda Johnson, who had missed the Owls’ previous game against Chesterfield while on international duty, returned at left-back with Julian Bennett dropping to the bench.

The formbook suggested the Owls should be favourites with four consecutive wins lifting them into second spot before the weekend.

The Blades, meanwhile, had lost three of their previous four league games and had consequently dropped out of the play-off zone.

However, it was the Blades who took the lead with just 11 minutes gone, Stephen Quinn pouncing from 10 yards after Ched Evans’s deflected shot cannoned back off a post.

Quinn sprinted along the touchline and finished his goal celebrations just yards away from Owls manager Megson in the technical area.

The Owls should have equalised soon after when Blades goalkeeper Steve Simonsen failed to hold a downward header from Gary Madine.

Striker Chris O’Grady moved in to try to bundle the ball over the line yet his shot came back off a post.

It would prove to be a costly miss and arguably, the pivotal moment of the game, as the Blades charged to the opposite end of the field and doubled their advantage.

Striker Evans, currently awaiting trial after being charged with rape, found the net with a textbook near-post header.

The Blades were playing far better than in recent weeks with Montgomery’s return in midfield prompting a definite improvement.

Montgomery’s all-action performance helped break up opposition attacks and get the ball moving towards the Wednesday goal.

The Owls still created enough opportunities to have gone into the break on level terms.

James O’Connor should have done better with a free header and Ben Marshall’s drive was tipped onto the crossbar by Simonsen.

Defender Danny Batth wasted another good chance, from a corner shortly before the break, when sending a solid header yards wide.

Twenty-six-year-old referee Michael Oliver coped well with the difficult task of keeping a lid on a fixture which normally boils over at some stage.

He issued only two yellow cards in the first half – to Owls defender Lewis Buxton for a deliberate trip on Blades scorer Quinn and to home striker Cresswell for a lunge on Batth right in front of the Kop.

Blades goalkeeper Simonsen had several near-post crosses to deal with and showed a willingness to get hurt for the cause.

Megson introduced pacy winger Jermaine Johnson at half-time as a replacement for O’Connor

The Jamaican, sent off in his previous derby appearance, immediately added a new dimension to Wednesday’s attack and was a target for some heavy challenges.

Keeping his cool, it was clear that he would be vital if the Owls were going to turn the tide.

The atmosphere inside Bramall Lane shifted up a gear just after the break when Owls midfielder Lines was sent crashing to the floor by Blades striker Evans.

The Welsh international was lucky to escape with just a yellow card for his aerial challenge which was late and potentially dangerous.

Lines required lengthy treatment before resuming his involvement in the game.

As the second half wore on, the Owls built up a head of steam as the Blades concentrated on preserving a two-goal lead.

At times, there was an increasing desperation about the Owls’ work – Jermaine Johnson was losing the ball and passes were going astray, Marshall was taking on defenders and shooting over from 30 yards.

Yet just when it looked like the game was becoming a lost cause for the Owls, striker O’Grady delivered a lifeline.

Winger Marshall’s cross was headed on by Jones and O’Grady scored with a header from close range. It was his first goal since joining the club from Rochdale in August and there were still eight minutes to play.

As Owls supporters raised the volume, the Blades supporters held their breath. The victory they so desperately craved was then snatched from their grasp.

Jose Semedo floated a high ball into the box and the towering Madine rose among a sea of bodies to score with a downward header.

It may have been scrappy – the ball bouncing in off a post amid claims for a foul on goalkeeper Simonsen by Reda Johnson – but that did not matter to the Owls who celebrated at the final whistle as if they had secured victory.