Crewe Alexandra 0 Sheffield Wednesday 2: Owls close in on League One play-off places

The Owls’ first Sky Bet League One win in three games moved them up to seventh in the table and was never in any real doubt after Bannan’s classy opener in the 27th minute.

The Wednesday skipper collected the ball 35 yards out and cut infield before beating Dave Richards at the goalkeeper’s near post with a low drive.

Richards did well to push out an effort from Theo Corbeanu as the visitors made the most of a slow start from a Crewe side weakened by the late withdrawals of strikers Mikael Mandron and Ben Knight.

But the Railwaymen did offer a threat when teenage defender Zac Williams drove across the face of goal. And when Bannan was adjudged to have handled Scott Robertson’s cross into the box they were offered the chance to level in first-half stoppage time.

But Owls keeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell blocked Chris Porter’s penalty and then saved the striker’s headed follow-up with his legs.

Wednesday started strongly after the break with Gregory forcing Richards into a save before the frontman doubled the lead, finding the far corner with a powerful header from Jack Hunt’s cross in the 47th minute.

Tom Lowery tested Peacock-Farrell with a low shot from the right of the box, but Wednesday could have added more goals as Callum Paterson forced Richards to parry a piledriver and then sent a header from a corner against the far post.