Sheffield Wednesday 3 Walsall 0: Wednesday put money worries to one side to win again

That was the case at Hillsborough last night though where things are so often not quite as orthodox and simple as elsewhere. It is the deeds of those directors over the last few years, not games, that has irked the locals.

Darren Potter, Mark Beevers – with his first league goal since debuting nearly four years ago – and Clint Morrison struck as Alan Irvine's side continued their rise up League One, easing into fourth spot, although it came on the back of a patchy performance which was decidedly more effective than effervescent.

As predicted, following events which led to their ending up in the High Court last week due to an unpaid 1.4m tax bill, a few hundred fans gathered outside the directors' entrance before the match to vent their anger, demanding they be sacked.

But those supporters are doing more than using their vocal chords; a proposed takeover bid on behalf of the fans is gaining momentum – with at least 12 local businessmen pledging a total of 2m towards the target sum of 6m.

Under the banner 'One Wednesday', the group are inviting other fans to pledge upwards of 100 each to help take control of the club and fight off the winding up order.

Garry Scotting, owner of Gilders Group and a lifelong Wednesday supporter, has pledged 500,000 and said: "For years now, the fans have stood by patiently as rescue plans have been drawn up and torn up. Now we are on the brink and we the fans must stand together and take the future of the club into our own hands."

Potter took matters into his own hands last night showing Wednesday's recent on-field confidence was obvious from the off when he fired them into a sixth minute lead.

The midfielder – with only his second of the season – showed no hesitation in unleashing a crisp 25-metre drive following one of many darting raids from Gary Teale.

But bottom-placed Walsall belied their lowly status to enjoy plenty of possession and, after the break, the excellent Nicky Weaver had to deny Reuben Reid and Matthew Richards as Wednesday lived dangerously.

However, centre-half Beevers headed in a Teale cross in the 75th minute to ease nerves, Morrison nodding in a corner with eight minutes remaining to add some gloss.

Wednesday: Weaver; Spurr, Purse, Beevers, Jones; Sedgwick (Johnson 60), Miller (Palmer 85) Potter, Teale; Morrison, Mellor. Unused substitutes: Jameson, Hinds, Tudgay, Heffernan, O'Connor.

Walsall: Walker; Westlake, Lancashire, Butler, Lescott; Nicholls, Richards, Taundry, Marshall; Macken (Dickinson 26), Reid (Grigg 64). Unused substitutes: Brain, Smith, Jones, Gray, McGiven.

Referee: J Linington (Isle of Wight).