Luck going against Sheffield Wednesday as Preston North End's bench makes the difference

It has been a cruel few days for Sheffield Wednesday, losing consecutive games they looked capable of winning.
CRUCIAL: Preston North End players celebrate Jayden Stockley's decisive goalCRUCIAL: Preston North End players celebrate Jayden Stockley's decisive goal
CRUCIAL: Preston North End players celebrate Jayden Stockley's decisive goal

We do not know what stage their season is at. With things as they are, a 3-1 defeat to Preston North End was more frustrating than damaging but if their misfortune extends to the outcome of their misconduct hearing, expected any time soon, it could be significant.

Until the 78th minute it looked like the Owls might do to Preston North End what was done unto them at the weekend, but the visitors' bench earned them victory at rainy Hillsborough.

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Wednesday do not look geared up for the restart. Whilst some clubs have gone to town decorating their supporter-free stands, the Owls have made only a token effort. It is their lack of depth on the bench which is far more alarming, though.

Having lost a host of players, some by choice, others not, at the end of the month, their bench, if you can call it that with substitutes scattered across the stand, featured three players – Ben Hughes, Conor Grant and Liam Shaw – yet to play senior football for them and another, Alex Hunt, still to make a Championship start, so to lose goalscorer Jacob Murphy to what looked like another injury was particularly galling. That is often how it is when things are going against you.

Preston are not one of the division's mightier clubs when it comes to resources but their five substitutes made the difference.

Jayden Stockley made a goal for fellow substitute Scott Sinclair, then scored one himself shortly after Julian Borner had what looked like a winning goal disallowed. A third replacement, Brad Potts, rubbed salt in the wound in added time.

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After letting Swansea City off the hook with their finishing at the weekend, the favour was being returned when Murphy linked brilliantly with Atdhe Nuhiu to put his side in front.

Preston were utterly dominant for the first half-hour despite the Owls hitting the woodwork, but as well as lacking bite, their Bark was none too threatening either.

Tom Barhuizen missed a glorious chance and Sean Maguire just failed to slide onto an Alan Browne cross which only needed a touch to open the scoring.

Barkhuizen's furious kick out after drawing goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith and missing the target said it all.

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A Preston goal would have been totally deserved at that stage, with the centre-forward having also hit the side netting and Patrick Bauer getting too fine a touch on a free-kick.

Sacrificing a man in midfield for one between the lines as they went with a 3-4-1-2 to the Owls' now preferred 3-5-2, Preston were the better side, yet it was Wednesday who came closest to scoring.

Barry Bannan's set pieces were excellent and until late in the first half, all they had to offer.

After three minutes Dominic Iorfa headed a corner onto the crossbar and after 29 minutes Joe Rafferty headed another off his line.

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That was the start of Wednesday beginning to take confidence, perhaps recognising the script.

When Joey Pelupessy had a shot blocked, Bannan played a beautiful pass from the loose ball to send Alessio Da Cruz through, only for Jordan Storey to throw himself in the way of the shot.

With Connor Wickham missing, the Owls made very little use of their totemic striker Nuhiu. A man with a contract to win would surely have appreciated far more opportunities to show what he could do.

When he did make an impact – with his feet – it was worth the wait.

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Murphy came in off the right and Nuhiu backheeled the ball to him to put his side in front after 59 minutes.

Sinclair equalising when Stockley flicked on a routine long ball was a blow but it looked like Borner had won the game from an 86th-minute corner, only for Stockley to go down the other end and put his side in front for the first time.

In stoppage time Massimo Luongo put a header from a corner just wide, but Potts made no such mistake with his finish. The fine margins are going against Wednesday right now.

Sheffield Wednesday: Wildsmith; Palmer, Iorfa, Borner; Murphy (Odubajo 63), Pelupessy, Bannan, Luongo, K Harris (Reach 89); Nuhiu, Da Cruz.

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Not used: Rhodes, Dawson, Hunt, Hughes, Grant, Shaw, Windass

Preston North End: Rudd; Storey (Johnson 63), Maguire (Stockley 76), Davies; Rafferty, Pearson, Bauer, Ledson (Potts 63); Browne; Hughes (Sinclair 76), Barkhuizen (Gallagher 83).

Not used: Fisher, Ripley,Nugent, Bodi.

Referee: T Harrington (Teesside).

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