Henrik Pedersen attributed Sheffield Wednesday's final point and first home clean sheet of 2025 to the culture of his team as they fought adversity to claim a 0-0 draw with Blackburn Rovers.

The visitors' shortcomings were partly to blame for not putting the Owls to the sword in a game they had the better of, with Valerien Ismael critical that they did not work home goalkeeper Pierce Charles enough.

But his opposite number Pedersen felt it was a match a match his side would have lost earlier in the season.

Illness deprived them of Liam Cooper when he had a reaction to medicine taken after being named in the side, meaning another youngster making his debut in Cole McGhee. But the 19-year-old defender was arguably his side's best player on the night.

"It was a tough evening with a very young team with four senior players and seven of the young guys (in the starting XI)," said Pedersen, who felt the need to rest Svante Ingelsson to the bench from the team which drew with Hull City on Boxing Day.

"I think it was another evening where the boys did everything that they could with their heart for the club, for the fans, for everyone. It was a typical game we could have lost for five, six, seven weeks ago, but we got a point.

"I think we have to be proud of this.

"The culture won this point."

PRIDE: Sheffield Wednesday manager Henrik Pedersen and Liam Palmer at the final whistle (Image: Steve Ellis)

placeholder image — PRIDE: Sheffield Wednesday manager Henrik Pedersen and Liam Palmer at the final whistle (Image: Steve Ellis)

He pointed to the way others looked after left-sided centre-back McGhee as a case in point.

"The players around him took care of him," said Pedersen, proudly. "Today it was Harry (Amass, the left wing-back) and it was Gab (Otegabyo, the centre-back) who supported him. Then Barry (Bannan) was in front of him and how they supported him and helped him was really, really strong."

On McGhee's performance, he said: "I think he played a really good game. It was tough for him and he was very tired in the end, together with all the other boys.

"Be proud of this young man, he did a good game.

DEBUTANT: Cole McGhee (Image: Steve Ellis)

"When he was fresh, he was strong and he was also strong on the ball. Then you could see when he started to be tired, he got some easy loss on the ball and he lost some duels. It's normal and I think it's a good example that, tactically, he was well prepared."