Wednesdayite match reporter Ricky Charlesworth reports on the game against Blackpool at Hillsborough on Tuesday 9th February 2010.

A 2-0 win secured the 'double' over Blackpool this season and even more importantly 3 vital points.

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 2-0 BLACKPOOL

Player Ratings;
SWFC; Grant 7, Spurr 6, Simek 7, Beevers 7, Purse 8, Gray 6, O’Connor 7, Soares 7, Potter 8, Tudgay 6, Varney 8 (Clarke 6)

Blackpool; Rachubka 7, Crainey 6, Baptiste 5, Edwards 5, Butler 6, Southern 6 (Husband), Vaughan 6(Bangura), Euell 7, Taylor-Fletcher 7, Campbell 7, Dobbie 7 (Burgess 6)


The Owls made it five wins out of seven under the stewardship of Alan Irvine, with a comfortable victory over struggling Blackpool.

Goals at the start of each half put paid to the Tangerines hopes, and ensured a 100% home record since Irvine took over, building on wins over Peterborough and Plymouth in January.

Wednesday kept the same side which narrowly lost at Forest, whilst the visitors made five changes to their starting eleven which lost 2-1 to Leicester at the weekend.

The Owls started like a house on fire, and took the lead within three minutes. Tommy Spurr easily beat the full back before going to the by-line, and dinking a ball back into the middle for James O’Connor to head home.

The visitors initially looked shell-shocked, with some hesitant passing, especially among a tentative back-four. However, they gradually got their way back into the game, only for numerous opportunities, most notably from Keith Southern, to pass them by.

DJ Campbell, the on-loan Leicester striker, had the best chance for Pool just after the half hour mark, when he glanced his header wide of the gaping goal.

After the interval, Wednesday played some outstanding passing football, stringing together several passes before Darren Potter unleashed a drive that was spilled by Paul Rachubka.

Moments later, another fine flowing move from the Owls resulted in a second goal. Luke Varney manoeuvred his way into the box, and squared to Potter, who cleverly pulled off a dragback, which deceived the defender, before unleashing a curling effort via the post allowing him to bag his first goal since Septmeber.

The visitors finally stepped up in their quest to find the net, and dominated play for the remainder of the game, without ever punishing the Owls.

Time and time again, their strikers came up against a brick wall in the form of the Wednesday back four, especially skipper Darren Purse, who put in arguably his performance of the season.

MAN OF THE MATCH
Darren PURSE: played like a leader, and put in vital blocks and won key headers. A excellent performance.

NEXT UP:
DONCASTER ROVERS (H)
TUE 16 FEB – 7:45PM