Sheffield Wednesday 1 Southampton 2: Late Che Adams winner is tough on Owls after a heartening response as fine home run ends

The hope was that lightning would not strike twice this time around for another side in blue and white in Sheffield Wednesday.

Just over 12 months ago, Huddersfield Town kicked off the new 2022-23 campaign and were on the receiving end of the equivalent of a 1-0 beating by a very slick Burnley side at the John Smith’s Stadium.

In the first half, Wednesday were similarly schooled here and it was a minor triumph that they trailed by just one goal, with Nathan Tella's fine curler grazing off the head of Adam Armstrong, credited with the goal.

On the resumption, it was a different story. Lee Gregory's clinical 54th-minute leveller brought an explosion of relief. Given what went before, it was unexpected, but this is the Championship after all.

Wednesday looked decent value for a point, just about, and even accounting for their lack of efforts on target – only for a player who has dined out at this level - and was once resident across the city - in Che Adams to spoil the night.

In the process, it inflicted a first home league defeat in 20 matches upon the Owls, whose last reverse was last September.

Wednesday lost just three times at league level on home soil in their two seasons in League One. One game back in the second-tier and here was the first defeat and a reminder of what they are up against.

The Owls, in Xisco Munoz’s opening match in charge, were game on the restart, but lacked quality for spells and this was a lesson to learn at not the worst time. Key work remains in the market before the start of September. They need more dynamism and craft to hurt teams.

The good news, if there was any, at the interval was that Wednesday trailed by just one goal in a half which had six added minutes under the new time directives set out by the EFL, despite no significant stoppages. A sign of things to come.

It did not take long to realise that the Owls, on their reintroduction to the Championship, were staring up at a significant jump up in class against their opening opponents, fresh from the big league.

The school of thought that it can be a good time to face relegated sides in early-season was thrashed somewhat.

James Ward-Prowse - a target for West Ham and a player far too good for the second tier - was on deck and soon got into the groove and pulled the strings. It soon looked ominous.

One player who clearly does know something about the Championship in Tella was around in Saints colours this time.

After a scintillating last season when he ripped up the division en route to 19 goals in all competitions at loan at champions Burnley, he carried on from where he left off.

His axis with Kyle Walker-Peters down the right was bountiful at times. It bore fruit early when Tella caught inside with his curler flying in via a faint touch off Armstrong. The kudos belonged to Tella.

Saints were quicker in deed and thought and produced some succulent exchanges. Wednesday were deep and chastened and a measure of their angst arrived when a visibly frustrated Barry Bannan signalled to Munoz in a bid to change something tactically.

The visitors had chances for a second, which would surely have killed the game in the first period. Wednesday survived.

Carlos Alcaraz saw a shot whistle just wide. Tella went close with a rasping effort ahead of the break, while auxiliary right-back Callum Paterson - given a fair bit of bother from Sam Edozie at times - cleared an effort from Jack Stephens off the line.

Saints’ possession count stood at 77 per cent at the break. The scoreboard was Wednesday’s friend, that said, and they did have one or two semi-threatening breaks as the half went on at least.

Thankfully, the tempo and intent was increased on the resumption to give the Kop something to feed off.

Wednesday were no longer cowed and that was something - you wondered just what was said at the interval.

Then the narrative wonderfully changed with Gregory thumping home an instinctive low shot after Dominic Iorfa won the air miles following Will Vaulks’s corner and it was game on.

Stung somewhat, Southampton tried to rally and got into some handy situations, but weren’t quite as convincing as before, with Dawson protected admirably.

At the other end, Wednesday waited for something, quite possibly a set-piece. But then the hosts dropped their guard momentarily and it was enough.

Ward-Prowse, a player to always keep your eye on and not give any space to, conjured a beautiful cutback with Wednesday and Adams did the rest, drilling home.

Nine minutes of added-time brought no joy for the Kop at the death. There was still applause, encouragingly, at the end. They won’t play teams like Saints every week either. Truer tests await.

Sheffield Wednesday: Dawson; Paterson, Iorfa, Ihiekwe, Famewo; Vaulks (Palmer 77), Bakinson; Delgado (Fletcher 77), Bannan, Windass (James 86); Gregory (Musaba 68): Substitutes unused: P Charles, Valentin, Bernard, Wilks, Smith.

Southampton: Bazanu; Walker-Peters, Bednarek, Stephens, Manning; Smallbone, Ward-Prowse; Tella, Alcaraz (S Armstrong 73), A Armstrong (Adams 79), Edozie (Aribo 89). Substitutes unused: McCarthy, Lyanco, S Charles, Djenepo, Amo-Ameyaw.

Referee: R Madley (West Yorkshire).