Millwall 2 Sheffield Wednesday 1: Pelupessy goal not enough as Owls are punished

The visitors started without a recognised striker, but Dutch midfielder gave them something to defend when he fired home a long-range striker just before half-time.

But second-half efforts from Lee Gregory and Steve Morison handed Millwall – who climbed into the top half of the Championship – all three points.

Defeat left Jos Luhukay’s Owls eight points above the drop zone ahead of Saturday’s visit from Aston Villa.

While the hosts dominated possession throughout the first half, they created little beyond a chance for Gregory which the forward struck narrowly wide and Ben Marshall’s curling effort which was deflected onto the left post.

They appeared under little pressure but in the 42nd minute, Dutch midfielder Pelupessy, a January signing, punished them with a fine goal against the run of play.

After collecting Jack Hunt’s clearance, without warning he cut inside onto his right foot and from the edge of the area powerfully bent inside the far, top right corner.

Having rarely looked like scoring, Millwall netted their equaliser only seven minutes into the second half, through Gregory.

From a free-kick on the right, Shaun Williams crossed towards Jake Cooper, who headed back across goal to gift Gregory the close-range header he powerfully sent high into the back of the net.

With the momentum theirs, Millwall scored again 11 minutes later. When Wednesday defender Jordan Thorniley went down clutching his face when vying with Jed Wallace for a loose ball, the winger squared to Morison, who from in front of goal and unchallenged, scored with a low, routine finish.

After a delay, Thorniley was taken off on a stretcher, and Wednesday, who remain 16th, offered little response, even with 13 minutes of added time.

Millwall: Archer, Romeo, Hutchinson, Cooper, Meredith, Wallace, Williams, Saville, Marshall (Onyedinma 88), Gregory (Shackell 90), Morison. Unused substitutes: McLaughlin, Cahill, Martin, Tunnicliffe, Elliott.

Sheffield Weds: Wildsmith, Venancio, Loovens, Thorniley (Joao 72), Hunt, Jones (Reach 65), Pelupessy, Fox, Stobbs, Wallace (Nuhiu 79), Boyd. Unused substitutes: Butterfield, Dawson, Pudil, Clare.

Referee: P Bankes (Merseyside).

Sunderland dropped to the foot of the Championship table after losing 1-0 at fellow strugglers Bolton.

On-loan Nottingham Forest forward Zach Clough scored the winner in the first half to take Wanderers four points above the drop zone, level with Reading.

The Royals drew 1-1 at Nottingham Forest after Lee Tomlin’s 85th-minute equaliser cancelled out Omar Richards’s first-half strike.

Birmingham are one point from safety following a 5-0 defeat away to play-off chasing Brentford.

Ollie Watkins scored in each half while Florian Jozefzoon and Neal Maupay also struck before Marc Roberts’ own goal.

Brentford moved three points behind sixth-placed Bristol City while Sheffield United, Middlesbrough and Preston all bolstered their play-off hopes.

Aston Villa missed the chance to move second as they were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Preston, Lewis Grabban’s penalty cancelling out Tom Barkhuizen’s opener.

Shrewsbury missed the chance to go top of League One after Gillingham came from behind to draw 1-1.

Abu Ogogo fired the Shrews into an early lead, but the Gills, though, secured a share of the points via midfielder Mark Byrne.

Portsmouth won 2-1 at managerless Fleetwood.