Peterborough United v Sheffield Wednesday: Posh tie is not 'Roundheads' versus 'Cavaliers' insists Darren Moore

A seemingly defence-orientated, pragmatic, results-first Owls side will do battle against a attack-minded, mercurial Peterborough outfit who have scored goals for fun over many years in their modern history in League One, especially in front of their home supporters in the Fens.

That's the theory at any rate. On the Wednesday side, it is strengthened by the fact that their last two play-off semi-finals, against Sunderland and Huddersfield Town respectively, have seen the hosts adopt a risk-averse, cautious approach en route to elimination. That’s certainly the view of many and been a stick used to beat the Owls with.

Darren Moore begs to differ. He is not keen on looking at statistics with the regular season now over, but if anyone pushes him, he might quietly point out that the Owls scored six more goals over their 46 games than Posh and 11 more on home soil.

Specifically questioned about his side being too ‘conservative’ against Sunderland 12 months ago, Moore commented: "That might be the perception from the outside looking in and we can't change that.

"Certainly the mindset within the club and I can only speak on last season was to go and get results over two games. I don't think you can ever say we are going to be a team who play a particular way.

"You just have to believe in what you do and the strengths you have.

"If you talk about the stats and figures of Peterborough, what have Sheffield Wednesday done?

"If they are a dangerous team, where does that put us? If we are talking like that, I will just leave it for the individuals to judge.

"We know the figures that they have had and what we have this season in terms of consistency. We are continuing to try and improve from that and that is always the challenge at Sheffield Wednesday.

"We won't lose focus. Against all the hurdles and adversity we have faced, the group has stuck together and maintained that focus."

The way in which Posh gate-crashed their way into the play-offs at Oakwell proved the headline-grabbing story on the final day of the regular season five days ago.

Wednesday did them a huge favour by beating the side who were batting it out with them for sixth place in Derby County - with the fact that Moore's side recorded their fourth consecutive victory going under the radar somewhat.

With the play-offs viewed as a bit of a 'second prize' for Wednesday - who looked a 'shoo-in' for automatic promotion two months ago - and with the way in which Posh have sneaked into the top-six, some have suggested that Darren Ferguson's side possess a psychological advantage.

Again, Moore has a pretty sound argument to dispute that.

He continued: "I can only imagine over the course of the season that play-offs was definitely their aim and they have achieved their goal.

"So they will be delighted, but I'd imagine that was their aim from the off.

"They came down from the Championship. They have maintained belief and consistency and they have got in.

"Credit to Darren and the work they have done over the course of the season, the league table doesn't lie. They deserve to be there."

Wednesday lost 2-0 in the league fixture in Cambridgeshire on a hot summer night in August which saw Reece James red-carded and midfielder George Byers, substituted not long after, showing his displeasure in a spat with Owls assistant Jamie Smith.

Plenty of time has elapsed since then and Moore is reading little into that evening - ahead of the Owls' return there.

He said: "It was under different management and the course of the game changed on a sending off and it was difficult to predict that one because of the early sending off and in the second half, they made the extra man count.

"It was also very early in the season. Both teams have come a long, long way since and I don't see the game as having any significance."

Circumspect in his dealings with the press, Moore is not usually one for predictions. When it comes to the play-offs, he does have one. Expect the unexpected.

As a player back in 2007, he was part of a Derby side who won their semi-final first leg in Southampton. An early Moore goal back in the East Midlands then put the Rams 3-1 up on aggregate and firmly in the box seat.

The tie would end level at 3-3 after extra time with Saints getting a late leveller in normal time. Derby eventually won on penalties and went onto triumph in the second-tier final against West Brom at Wembley.

He recalled: "What a memorable experience. It was two wonderful games and it was decided by split-margins and we managed to get on the right side of it, which was great.

"That's football. You have to stay consistent with the highs and lows as it can take you to areas that you never thought was possible."

Last six games: Peterborough WLWLDL; Sheffield Wednesday WLWWWW.

Referee: A Backhouse (Cumbria).

Last time: Peterborough 2 Sheffield Wednesday 0, August 16, 2022; League One.