Sheffield Wednesday 1 Peterborough United 4: Misery deepens for Owls after latest Hillsborough horrow show

While the Owls have nosedived since reaching the dizzy heights of second spot Peterborough have been heading in the opposite direction.

The match was over by the break, Wednesday 3-0 down and destroyed by the predatory finishing of Craig Mackail-Smith, Lee Tomlin and George Boyd, aided by some appalling defending.

Megson reshuffled his side after Saturday’s defeat by Notts County, bringing in Richard Hinds and Mark Reynolds for Reda Johnson and Tommy Spurr with Gary Madine as a lone striker.

The Owls made the brighter start and in the 23rd minute Wednesday came within a whisker of a fortunate lead when a Richard Hinds cross took a deflection, forcing Jon Lewis to make a fingertip save.

Two minutes later Wednesday were undone when Lee Tomlin lifted an astute ball over Wednesday’s static back four, allowing Mackail-Smith to race in and slot the ball past Nicky Weaver.

Wednesday’s misery deepened when a Daniel Jones mistake let in Tomlin, who coolly lifted the ball over a stranded Weaver.

Four minutes before the break, Boyd rammed home a rebound after Mackail Smith’s initial shot had been parried by Weaver.

Substitute Paul Heffernan pulled a goal back in the 51st minute, sliding in to finish off Madine’s low cross and Gary Teale was a whisker away from making it 3-2.

But Boyd grabbed his second of the night in the 80th minute to compound Wednesday’s misery.

Sheffield Wednesday: Weaver; Hinds (Potter 75 mins ), M Morrison, Beevers (Jones, 11 mins ) Reynolds; Teale, Osbourne, Miller, Coke, Johnson (Heffernan, 46 mins ), Madine. Unused substitutes: O’Donnell, O’Connor, C Morrison, Mellor.

Peterborough United: Lewis; Little, Bennett, Zakuani, Kennedy; Lee (Wesolowski 87 mins), McCann, Rowe (Basey 87 mins);Tomlin (Ball 73 mins ),Boyd, Mackail-Smith. Unused substitutes: Langmead, Mendez-Laing, Davis, Jones.

Referee: K Evans (Greater Manchester).