Sheffield Wednesday 3 Chesterfield 1: Megson’s disciplined approach paying dividends for the Owls

Megson has clamped down on silly bookings, banned booze in the players’ lounge and issued warnings about individual roles in the team.

The Owls have subsequently made their best start to a season for 30 years and notched six consecutive home wins for the first time in 20 years.

Sitting second in League One, the Owls’ confidence could hardly be better going into the Steel City derby against Sheffield United next weekend.

“The gaffer likes things done properly and you have got to toe the line,” said captain Rob Jones. “If people fall by the way, they get punished. It’s quite simple.

“We are a very professional club and the gaffer has made it that way. It is having a big influence on results.”

Winger Jermaine Johnson was fined two weeks’ wages for a red card against Stevenage and striker Gary Madine was hit in the pocket for a yellow card at Hartlepool.

Defender Lewis Buxton, meanwhile, was told that he would no longer be ‘going up for corners’ if he did no’t find the net against Chesterfield.

Buxton duly responded and headed the goal that set the Owls on course for victory.

Team-mate Danny Batth, who was waiting to take over the role, will now have to wait.

“We have fantastic camaraderie between ourselves in the dressing room and on the pitch and that will continue whether there are rules put in place or not,” added Jones.

“There is no problem at our football club and you can see that week in, week out. The team is improving all the time and confidence is the main factor.”

Signifcantly, Jones believes the Owls players are also starting to wake up to their potential – which is even more bad news for the rest of the division.

“I think some of the players at this football club don’t realise how good they are,” he said. “But we are slowly finding out just where some of these players can go.”

Megson has built a team which boasts plenty of strength and height – and a growing number of goals from corners and throws is the by-product.

The Owls took the lead on Saturday from a 17th-minute corner – Buxton rising to head home Ben Marshall’s kick. The absence of any Chesterfield player on the posts was hard to fathom.

Striker Madine, the tallest player in the Wednesday side at 6ft 3in, was given a rough ride early on by Chesterfield defenders.

Referee Kevin Wright finally produced a yellow card to book Aaron Downes when the Australian slid into the back of the striker’s legs.

Former Owls striker Leon Clarke now plays on loan for the Spireites after a much-publicised bust-up at Swindon Town with manager Paolo Di Canio, a former Owls legend.

Home supporters were not going to let an opportunity pass to taunt the striker about the incident, chanting the Italian’s name and jeering Clarke’s every touch.

Although Chesterfield produced moments of good play, the Owls enjoyed the better of the first 45 minutes.

The visitors had to defend a succession of good low crosses with Madine and the recalled Chris O’Grady always looking to hassle.

There was a let-off for the Owls just before half-time when Mark Randall dragged a shot wide after Jones did well to prevent Clarke scoring from close range.

Chesterfield also made a positive start to the second half but Clarke should have done better with a free header and sent the ball yards wide.

As pressure mounted on the Owls, manager Megson sent on substitute Jermaine Johnson, adding an extra attacking element to his midfield.

His side had been pushed back for too long and Johnson would begin carrying the ball into Chesterfield territory.

The Owls desperately needed a second goal to quell the Chesterfield fightback and it duly arrived courtesy of Madine.

Picking up a pass from O’Grady at the far corner of the opposition area, Madine hit a thumping low drive which flew in off the inside of the far post. It was his 10th goal of the season and his seventh in the last six games.

Clarke, however, provided a lifeline for the visitors with 10 minutes to play but was more interested in getting the game restarted than celebrating his strike.

The Owls were hanging on for a spell near the end as the Spireites moved the ball well and pushed hard for an equaliser.

But Marshall settled things three minutes from time when curling a low shot beyond the reach of goalkeeper Greg Fleming.

The last time Wednesday won six home games in succession, Chesterfield manager John Sheridan was at the heart of the club’s midfield.

He may have been on the wrong end of a result on Saturday but he will not be the only visiting manager who leaves Hillsborough disappointed this season.

Sheffield Wednesday: Bywater; Buxton, Batth, Jones, Bennett; O’Connor (J.Johnson 53), Lines, Semedo, Marshall; O’Grady (Sedgwick 72), Madine (McGoldrick 89). Unused substitutes: O’Donnell, Reynolds,.

Chesterfield: Fleming; Talbot, Howden, Downes, Grounds, Mendy, Allott (Whitaker 76), Randall, Westcarr (Bowery 45), Clarke, Morgan. Unused substitutes: Smith, Clay, Ford.