Sheffield Wednesday 2 Huddersfield Town 0: Wallace fires Owls to derby win

Second-half goals from Ross Wallace and Fernando Forestieri earned the points against a Town side, who had been the better team in the opening 45 minutes.

Victory closes the gap between the two rivals to just one point in the play-offs, and there is now a five-point gap to seventh=placed Derby County for Wednesday.

The Owls started with new signing Sam Winnall on the bench, while Town made eight changes from their FA Cup outing last week.

It was the Terriers who made the better start at Hillsborough and Nahki Well should have put them in front but headed straight at Keiren Westwood.

The hosts had little to offer in front of goal during the opening 15 minutes.

A free header from Michael Hefele just drifted wide from a corner in 17th minute, while the best Wednesday could muster was a wayward long-range effort from Fernando Forestieri.

Town were dominating possession, trying to draw Wednesday out, and on one counter attack the Owls created their best chance of the half.

Barry Bannan found space, and his far-post cross was headed over by Steven Fletcher.

Daniel Pudil was booked for bringing down Elias Kachunga on the edge of the box, and Westwood had to be alert to tip away Chris Lowe’s free-kick.

The introduction of Winnall at the break, on for Fletcher, gave the Owls some much-needed possesion in the opposition half and they took the lead with a stunning goal.

Ross Wallace picked the ball up in acres of space before firing home from 30 yards, giving Danny Ward no chance in the Town goal.

The tempo of the game had totally changed, and Forestieri went close to adding a second but saw his effort go wide of Ward’s left-hand post.

Town - so dominant in the first half - were getting frustrated, Bannan and Hutchinson were bossing the ball, and Jack Payne was red carded for a poor tackle on Hutchinson with 20 minutes to go.

Michael Hefele failed to trouble Westwood with a header, from Lowe’s cross, as the 10 men from Huddersfield looked to find an equaliser.

Hefele and Mark Hudson were playing as converted strikers, and the latter should have equalised but the defender blasted over the cross bar as the game entered six minutes of stoppage time.

Wednesday grabbed a late second on a breakaway, Forestieri pouncing from close range.