Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday having contrasting fortunes in front of net

The Owls' performance at Hillsborough was a very damp squib, with manager Henrik Pedersen at a loss to explain why his players could not give a proper account of themselves in their most high-profile game of the season.

Football being what football is, you wondered if the hosts could conjure up a fairytale storyline by waiting until the neighbours visited for their first home win of the season. But the post-financial realities of life at Hillsborough in these most desperate of times are beyond fairytales, as was grimly spelt out to the 32,740-strong crowd.

Whether in possession or out of it, the Blades controlled the game, playing it in the parts of the pitch they wanted to, and although they did not bombard Ethan Horvath's goal, they made enough good chances that they could afford a few misses yet still won 3-0.

One of those came from Tom Cannon, a player signed at great expense in January.

Sunday was the striker's 31st Blades appearance yet his only goal had come in a match everyone at the club wanted to forget – at Burnley on Easter Monday, the day Sheffield United missed out on automatic promotion back to the Premier League.

After 87 minutes the substitute had the chance to put all that behind him, played through one-on-one with Horvath. But his heavy touch betrayed a lack of confidence and the finish bounced into the goalkeeper's body and to safety.

So when he picked up the ball about 25 yards from the goal the away fans were behind, hopes were not high.

"I think everybody's shouting, 'Don't shoot and turn your foot on it,' because I think we've got an overload down the side and we've been working on stuff like that and getting round the back and exposing their back three," said his manager Chris Wilder.

"But I'm right behind it, it was a sweet view for me and, more importantly, a sweet view for Tom."

Before Wilder came into the Hillsborough press room Tyrese Campbell had been sat in the plush blue seat explaining what scoring in the derby just over a year ago had done for him.

Blades fans have been singing about what at that stage was only his third goal in their colours ever since.

"I scored the winner last year and it gave me the confidence and belief that it's been a lot of pressure, it's a big game," he explained.

That confidence was coursing through him when he scored the two goals which gave the Blades a lead the Owls never looked like reducing. The second after 48 minutes ended the derby as a contest.

Now the hope is those same endorphins can turn Cannon into the player his club thought they had signed.

"I'm just so delighted he scored," said Campbell. "Hopefully it does the world of good for him and his confidence.

"He's had a hard time. He deserved that so I'm so buzzing for him."

Wilder added that: "He's been working away and hopefully that will lighten the load off of him a little bit. He's in the early part of his career.

"He's a good character, good personality. He has to produce more of those moments and hopefully he will. He'll start or play in one of the next two games.

"You just saw everybody's delight for Tom when he scored and even at the end, and the supporters as well.

"He's got all the attributes to be a good player, and hopefully that will give him a little boost."

How envious the Owls must have been on the day they replaced the Blades as the Championship's lowest scorers.

Jamal Lowe worked extremely hard in an inside-left role which often pulled him out wide, but the last of his three goals in all competitions this season was a month ago. He is the joint top-scorer regardless.

Bailey Cadamarteri has as many goals for Jamaica this season – one – as he does for Wednesday.

Since making his loan move permanent in the summer of 2024, Ugbo's only two goals have come in League Cup ties.

The cheers when Pedersen brought him off in the 73rd minute came from Wednesday fans.

"Of course not," said Pedersen when asked if it would help a player whose confidence is clearly fragile.

"He's working really hard in the training and he'll do all he can to do the best for himself, for the team and for the club. We're doing all we can to support him and I'm sure he'll keep on going. Then we hope that more and more will come."

Sadly, the only short-term solution to Wednesday's striking problems are likely to come in the January window – but only if a new owner is in place or close enough to authorise some spending. Until then, it looks like being very thin gruel indeed.