Pre Season Kicks Off

STOCKSBRIDGE PARK STEELS 0-4 SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY

                                                                                                        Maguire (18,40) Madine (24), Antelmi (89)

Last Nights Meeting at Bracken Moor signalled the start of pre-season for Sheffield Wednesday, It's always a nice trip to go to Stocksbridge, a friendly non-league club, with a nice little stadium set on a backdrop of the regions proud steel history.

Bracken Moor

You can never tell anything from these sort of games as to how the team will perform over the coming months, a few of the new boys on show, Chris Maguire, Kieran Lee and Diogo Amado all show some very neat touches when in possession. Maguire scored two excellent goals with the second of them being the pick from his brace, he neatly finished into the keepers bottom right corner from the edge of the box after shaking off a few defenders around him. Madine scored from close range between the Maguire goals, the players linked up well together during the first half. Amado is an attacking player who has an eye for a killer pass, he often picked out the strikers or wingers with these balls during the first half period. Lee is an attacking right back, who enjoys bursting forward to join the attack.

Owls first half line up

The Second half saw the introduction of our development squad players, with Ryan Lowe replacing Maguire to be the only recognisable first teamer on the pitch, the younger players looked lively and hoping to impress, Lowe was unlucky not to score after hitting the post twice within the second half. Unfortunately I missed the fourth goal, which was scored by Patrick Antelmi, all in all it was a standard first pre season game against non league opposition, whereby the team passes it about a bit, get some fitness and knock a few goals in, with no disrespect to Stocksbridge, who did very well themselves showing a few nice touches. 

Stocksbridge is a nice non league set up and is always a great visit during the pre-season period. They are always welcoming and obviously appreciate the supporting numbers that was in attendance last night which helps towards the running costs of the club for the forthcoming season, while this wasn't announced i'd guess at around 2,000. 

Here's to what's going to be a great season going forward !

Next up - Doncaster Rovers (a) 



As well as the Stocksbridge game, Another first team XI played Dronfield Based Sheffield FC. Thanks to Chris Lewis for the following.

SHEFFIELD FC 1-1 SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY

                                      Williams (75)                             O'Grady (21)  

The Main Stand

In front of a strong crowd of around 1,400 at the BT Local Business Stadium, Wednesday, sporting their new, bright yellow away strip, were pegged back in the second half after striker Chris O’Grady had given the Owls an early lead.

The Wednesday XI, led by newly appointed assistant Paul Wilkinson, contained new signing Joe Mattock at left back, while trialist Marlon Harewood partnered Chris O’Grady in attack.

There were also starts for Giles Coke, who played in the unfamiliar position of right-back and 2011-12 player of the season Jose Semedo.

Owls Starting XI

Wednesday started the brighter with O’Grady, Harewood and Jermaine Johnson all fluffing early chances. The Owls deservedly took the lead though shortly after. Summer signing Joe Mattock set off on a determined run down the left before laying the ball off to CHRIS O’GRADY, who fired a shot low and hard across the goalkeeper and into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal. More chances followed for Wednesday, most notably for trialist Harewood.

Head-guard-less Miguel Llera took a slight knock in the latter stages of the first half, but carried on until half-time so there is almost certainly no cause for concern.

Llera was replaced by academy product Ryan Dickenson at the break, while Sheffield FC also began to ring the changes.

Development squad striker Caolan Lavery replaced Marlon Harewood shortly after, which then kicked-off a flurry of further changes for the Owls.

The lively Lavery was a plus for the youthful Owls in what was a fairly dour second half.

Academy goalkeeper Cameron Dawson then pulled off a top class save from point-blank range on 65 minutes, beating the ball away to his right after being tested with a vicious strike from 10 yards out by Sheffield’s Tyrone Thompson.

But the unlucky Dawson was to be beaten just seconds later, Dan Williams met a well executed cross with a powerful header, which flew into the Owls goal via the crossbar to give the Donfield side a well deserved share of the spoils.

As with all pre-season games, it is difficult to predict how the side will fair over the course of the forthcoming season. Especially as Wednesday ended the game with an entirely different XI than the one that started it. There were however promising signs, most notably from Joe Mattock and the hold-up play of Chris O’Grady. The Owls now head off to the warmer climes of Portugal for a week’s training & games against European giants Sporting Lisbon, as well as newly promoted Premier League side Reading.