WHILE the world’s attention was fixated with the battle between blue and red on the political stage in the US presidential election on Tuesday, the blue half of Sheffield had key business to attend to ahead of their own epic sporting joust with the red side of the Steel City this coming weekend.

Hillsborough in midweek and not Bramall Lane on Sunday was solely occupying the thoughts of head coach Daniel Rohl, more especially after a thoroughly unacceptable second half which left him ‘shocked’ en route to a humiliating 6-2 drubbing at the hands of a rampant Watford last time out here.

Getting back to basics was surely the first port of call for such a meticulous, organised head coach as Rohl. In the event, he got more than he maybe bargained for.

The Owls chief will have definitely been grateful to not have to deal with Watford winger Vakoun Bayo - who proved the Owls’ tormentor-in-chief with a devastating four-goal burst for the Hornets - but equally conscious of the need to find a plan to combat the Championship’s undoubted form horse of the season up front in Norwich City’s 12-goal forward Borja Sainz, who has displayed an eye for the spectacular of late.

Sheffield Wednesday's Dominic Iorfa scores their side's second goal of the game during the Sky Bet Championship match against Norwich City at Hillsborough. Photo: Mike Egerton/PA Wire.

placeholder image — Sheffield Wednesday's Dominic Iorfa scores their side's second goal of the game during the Sky Bet Championship match against Norwich City at Hillsborough. Photo: Mike Egerton/PA Wire.

Thankfully, there were no fireworks from the division’s top-scorer on Bonfire Night. Quite the opposite.

After a whiff of cordite in the air at the final whistle at S6 on Saturday after a scarcely believable second-half saw the hosts concede five goals, Wednesday supplied the pyrotechnics in a sparkling opening 45 minutes, which yielded goals from Josh Windass and a collectors’ item from Dominic Iorfa.

In fairness, the Owls had played pretty well en route to an interval lead against Watford before the roof well and truly caved in.

On this occasion, sensible game management mercifully ensued.

The second half was all about not going off piste for a second time in four days against a Norwich side who were pretty enough with the ball at their feet and painted some nice pictures, only to be wholly less convincing and rather more susceptible and inattentive without it.

They boasted a 67 per cent possession count in the first period, but the real story was their work off the ball. Or lack of it. Possession crept up to 71 per cent by the end.

The Canaries continually left holes to exploit and it was more than enough to keep Wednesday interested and they picked their moments well in the first half and produced some nuggets of sheer quality.

Two early ones arrived at the feet of Marvin Johnson. A brilliantly whipped-in cross from the right somehow failed to end Ike Ugbo’s league drought at the far post, with the striker inexplicably diverting a wonderful ball away from goal as opposed to into it.

No matter, the hosts went in front soon after following another sumptuous contribution from Johnson.

A beautifully caressed pass dissected Norwich centre-backs Jose Cordoba and Callum Doyle and Windass did the rest, firing confidently past the advancing George Long for his fourth goal of the campaign.

Iorfa’s first goal since July 2020, a firm header from Shea Charles’ free-kick on the right, added a second on 34 minutes, although one-time Blades custodian Long really should have done better in terms of fielding it.

Norwich were looking decidedly doggy at the back, with Long redeeming himself of sorts to prevent Ugbo from adding a third with a parry low down at full stretch after the visitors were again opened up.

For Wednesday, the second half was about game management and more of the same, with there being no need to chase things. A drab, boring half would do, certainly after the weekend.

One downer saw Iorfa depart with an injury issue a few minutes before the hour mark.

The sight of Sainz being kept quiet by the hosts was a more pleasing development for the Owls, with Johnson going close to crowning his impressive night with a goal, only to be denied by Long.

Sainz did eventually find the net with a rebound after Beadle denied Doyle and blocked the follow-up, but the offside flag added to a frustrating night for the Spaniard for once.

Wednesdayites were having fun by contrast and even afforded themselves a bit of sport with some songs aimed towards their cross-city rivals in the final quarter. This was a nice enough way to warm up for a derby, for sure.

Sheffield Wednesday: Beadle; Iorfa (Otegbayo 57), Bernard, M Lowe; Johnson, S Charles, Bannan, Valery; Windass, Ingelsson (Valentin 76); Ugbo (Smith 77). Substitutes unused: P Charles, Palmer, J Lowe, Musaba.

Norwich City: Long; Fisher (Fassnacht 73), Duffy, Cordoba, Doyle; Marcondes, Sorensen, Schwartau; Gordon (Forson 58), Crnac, Sainz. Substitutes unused: Mair, Stacey, Hanley, Chrisene, Springett, Myles, Mahovo.

Referee: S Martin (Staffs).

Attendance: 22,731.