Sheffield Wednesday's Darren Moore expects no FA punishment for club after crowd trouble against Ipswich Town

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY manager Darren Moore says he is expecting no further action from the Football Association towards the League One club following the unsavoury scenes which tarnished last weekend's home game with Ipswich Town.

The governing body have reportedly been investigating the crowd trouble which saw the game close to being abandoned and paused on three occasions after objects were thrown from the home sections at Hillsborough.

Missiles were aimed at a linesman from the North Stand in the first half and more were aimed at Ipswich goalkeeper Christian Walton in the second period.

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It promoted referee Peter Wright to tell both managers the game would be abandoned if there were further incidents – with the message relayed by the public address system.

Darren Moore: Picture: Press Association.Darren Moore: Picture: Press Association.
Darren Moore: Picture: Press Association.

Wright lodged his official report earlier this week.

Moore, whose side welcome Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday, said: "We have had the report from the referee; I don't think it was a warning but the report stated how the game went and the potential of the game being abandoned through the safety of the players' on the pitch. It was his duty to bring that to attention.

"We have had the report and we were grateful at the time that no more objects came onto the pitch. It would have been catastrophic for us as a football club to be labelled with that term.

"There has been no further action taken with it.

"I expect that to be the end of it. I know as a fan-base and a football club that it is not us. It was one of those moments where frustrations probably got the better of one or two but that is not us as a football club.

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"To come to Hillsborough and play your football is one of the best footballing grounds you could ever wish to play in and it will continue to be that way."

Wednesday head into the game - their third home match in a week - on the back of a disappointing Papa John's Trophy home reverse against Burton Albion, when a number of squad players spurned the opportunity to boost their claims of more league involvement.

Perhaps the sole positive was a first goal in Owls colours for recent signing Mallik Wilks, who cut inside and netted with a trademark powerful left-footed drive on his first start for the club.

Moore believes that it was another marker for Wilks, with the Wednesday chief convinced that the former Hull City and Barnsley attacker will be an important asset for the club in their promotion quest once he gets fully up to speed with his fitness and match sharpness.

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On Wilks, Moore added: "There's more to come from him. We are not putting any pressure on him. We know where he needs to get to and that it is going to take time.

"What we saw in midweek was moments of brilliance from him. He gives us a different edge and different dynamic to the team when he plays.

"It was a small glimpse of what he can bring us. He is in a better position physically and potentially nearer to starting games than he was two, three to four weeks ago but we continue to work with him.”