Sheffield Wednesday v Birmingham City: Rodri quick to impress as Owls triumph

A DEBUT goal from Spanish striker Rodri crowned a sunshine attacking display from Sheffield Wednesday – who left chastened Birmingham facing a serious Championship inquisition from manager Lee Clark.

The Barcelona ‘B’ ace, unveiled a day earlier by manager Dave Jones following his arrival on a season-long loan, had the ‘Ole’s’ ringing out at S6 courtesy of his crisp 39th-minute strike to make it 2-0. This was the party-piece as the Owls extended their unbeaten streak under Jones to an impressive 16 matches.

The Blues did ensure an anxious finale for Wednesdayites through a 78th-minute strike from substitute Nikola Zigic, but a late strike from the outstanding Jermaine Johnson sealed a fine home performance.

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It proved an eventful evening for Rodri, who missed a gilt-edged early chance while also being booked for a crunching tackle on Blues captain Steven Caldwell two minutes before his goal. All of that came ahead of him being afforded a standing ovation when he was replaced by Gary Madine on the hour.

The night was also a memorable one – albeit for the wrong reasons – for highly-rated teenage goalkeeper Jack Butland, who failed to cover himself in glory for both of Wednesday’s first-half goals, with his mistake for the first a real howler.

That arrived in the 14th minute, when he fluffed his lines following Mikael Antonio’s centre, allowing Reda Johnson to head home his second of the season following a late strike at Pride Park on Saturday.

Wednesday well and truly put Blues, beaten play-off semi-finalists last season, to the sword and on this evidence going forward will provide plenty of headaches for Championship defences.

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The hosts were clearly up for it from the off, with all eyes on new arrival Rodri.

The Spain Under-21 frontman was offered the fairytale opening to his Owls career on three minutes, but did not take it.

A slick move saw Jermaine Johnson send Reda Johnson clear down the left and his inviting low cross presented a glorious chance to Rodri, but his close-range shot flashed wide when it looked far easier to score.

After a summer to savour, Butland, who arrived at Hillsborough as the most talked about young goalkeeper since Joe Hart and fresh from his recent England and Team GB appearances – spilling Antonio’s innocuous cross to present Reda Johnson with a simple early strike.

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Clearly with a taste for goals, marauding left-back Johnson – who scored seven goals last season– was a whisker away from adding another after heading over following Rhys McCabe’s corner.

Shortly before the half-hour mark, Antonio drilled a shot just wide as the Owls continued to dissect the Blues’ defence.

The Blues were totally overrun, with Jermaine Johnson enjoying a field day at the expense of the visiting defence.

The visitors’ only first-half chances of note came from long range, with their best effort arriving on 10 minutes when Caldwell saw a rising effort tipped over by Chris Kirkland following a corner.

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The Owls deservedly doubled their tally six minutes before the break with Reda Johnson setting up Rodri, whose angled 15-yard shot went through the legs of Butland and into the corner of the net, much to the delight of the ecstatic home faithful.

Clark threw on striker Zigic for Wade Elliott at the interval and switched to two up front after his 4-4-1-1 system had reaped few rewards in the first period.

The visitors did improve, with Marlon King seeing his curling shot palmed away by Kirkland straight after the restart after Nathan Redmond’s shot was deflected before Chris Burke drilled an effort wide.

Just after Rodri exited the fray, King again tested the reactions of Kirkland at the near post with a stinging shot following a clever pass from Hayden Mullins. At the other end, a superbly-timed last-ditch challenge from Caldwell denied Jermaine Johnson a picture-book goal after a fine run from inside his own half as Wednesday sought to kill the game off.

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But Blues gave themselves a lifeline 12 minutes from time, courtesy of Zigic, who netted their last-gasp leveller against Charlton on Saturday and famously hit four goals against Leeds in a 4-1 win at the end of January.

A left-wing cross from David Murphy was not cleared by the home rearguard, with Zigic blasting the ball high past Kirkland from close range at the near post.

Madine were just off target with efforts to seal the Owls’ win, which was duly and fittingly provided by Jermaine Johnson, who finished coolly after racing clear in the 89th minute.

Blues grabbed a consolation with the last kick of the game in stoppage time, King firing home from the spot after Reda Johnson brought down Burke.

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Sheffield Wednesday: Kirkland; Buxton, Llera, Beevers, R Johnson; Antonio (Maguire 90), Semedo, McCabe, J Johnson ; Rodri (Madine 60), O’Grady (Pecnik 80). Unused substitutes: Bywater (gk), Mattock, Prutton, Coke.

Birmingham City: Butland; Spector, Davies, Caldwell, Murphy; Burke, Mullins, Ambrose, Redmond; Elliot (Zigic 45); King. Unused substitutes:Doyle, Ibanez, Lovenkrands, Morrison, Gomis, Packwood.

Referee: G Eltringham.

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