Notts County 1 Sheffield Wednesday 2: Curle’s praise for Owls as Jones celebrates hat-trick of triumphs

Sheffield Wednesday boosted their bid for an automatic promotion berth on a day when they were the only team in the top 10 to get a victory.

Two goals in 13 second-half minutes from Ryan Lowe and Gary Madine set Wednesday on their way to a third successive victory and although sixth-placed County pulled a goal back late on through Lloyd Sam it was not enough to deny the Owls.

Madine took his tally to 14 goals this season as County lost for the first time under former Sheffield United defender Keith Curle.

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Michail Antonio beat two players to cross for Lowe to tap home inside the six-yard box to put the Owls ahead.

Lewis Buxton’s throw set up Madine to fire into the bottom left-hand corner.

County, shorn of the services of experienced striker Lee Hughes due to a knee problem, pulled a goal back as substitute Sam, who signed on loan from Leeds in midweek, got the final touch to Alan Judge’s free kick.

The Owls, who completed their first double over Notts for 99 years, stay third but move level on points with rivals Sheffield United, stretching their unbeaten run under new manager Dave Jones to three matches.

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County stay just inside the play-off places in sixth after Curle, the No 2 to Neil Warnock at QPR, tasted defeat for the first time in seven matches since taking over from Martin Allen in mid-February.

He was quick to praise the Owls, stating: “Being honest, I think that’s the best unit that we’ve played against. I thought they were big, strong, a good squad of players, able to bring good players off the bench as well.

“They’d got a game plan, and they stuck to it. They got about and stopped us from playing the way we wanted to play at times.”

Notts County: Nelson, Freeman, Chilvers, Stewart, Sheehan, J Hughes, Bishop (Bencherif 83), Mahon (Burgess 67), Harley (Sam 57), Judge, Forte. Unused substitutes: Burch, Pearce.

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Sheffield Wednesday: Bywater, Buxton, Batth, R Jones (Llera 17), Bennett, M Jones (Prutton 84), Semedo, Lines, Antonio,Madine, Lowe (O’Grady 75). Unused substitutes: Jameson, Morrison.

Referee: J Moss (W Yorkshire).

Man of the match: Gary Madine.