FOOTBALLSkyBet League One
Peterborough United 1-2 Sheffield Wednesday: Match Report
Yan Valery's header 11 minutes from time sends Sheffield Wednesday top of League One after Ben Woods had cancelled out an unfortunate Josh Feeney own goal at the Weston Homes Stadium.
In this report
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY, backed by more than 4,000 travelling fans, were good value for a fourth win of the campaign, a 2-1 success in front of 10,848 at the Weston Homes Stadium on London Road yesterday lunchtime which took them top of SkyBet League One. Defender Yan Valery scored the winner with a header from a corner 11 minutes from time, in the 79th minute, after Peterborough United's Ben Woods had cancelled out an unfortunate first half own goal by Josh Feeney.
Peterborough United came into the match with two wins, against Mansfield Town at home 2-1 and Watford 5-1 in the Carabao Cup second round at Vicarage Road, a draw last time out against Stevenage at home 0-0 and two defeats, away to Blackpool 0-4 and away at Bradford City 0-2. Peterborough United were in 18th spot with 4 points.
Sheffield Wednesday came into the game in 2nd place behind Huddersfield Town with three wins and two losses and 9 points. They won 2-1 away at Leyton Orient at Brisbane Road, beat Bromley 7-2 at Hillsborough and won 2-1 away at Wycombe Wanderers at Adams Park last time out. They lost twice, 0-1 at home to Bradford City and 0-2 away to Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux in the Carabao Cup.
Timeline of key events
- 14'
Okagbue on for the injured O'Connor (Peterborough United)
- 19'
Peterborough corner punched clear by Lumley
- 31'
Slattery heads close for Sheffield Wednesday
- 32'
Leonard shoots close with his right foot
- 38'
0-1 Feeney (og). - Morrison's hooked ball into the six yard box goes in off the defender
- 40'
Leonard hits the post from Williams' assist
- 43'
Williams booked for a foul on Morrison
- Half time:
Peterborough United 0 Sheffield Wednesday 1 (3 minutes added time)
- 46'
Weaver on for Cooper (Sheffield Wednesday)
- 47'
1-1 Woods. - a header past Lumley from Dornelly's assist
- 57'
Heskey booked and replaced by Mitchell
- 58'
Burstow on for Lowe (Sheffield Wednesday)
- 62'
Slattery booked
- 63'
Ormerod on for Williams (Peterborough United)
- 65'
Lumley prevents James from heading into his own net; Bannan sweeps narrowly wide
- 75'
Khela and Ashfield on for Kelly and Jones (Peterborough United)
- 78'
Khela booked
- 79'
1-2 Valery. - a header in off the shoulder from Morrison's corner
- 87'
Palmer on for Valery (Sheffield Wednesday)
- 90+6'
Morrison booked
- Full time:
Peterborough United 1 Sheffield Wednesday 2 (8 minutes added time)
The last three results between the two teams have been a Sheffield Wednesday 5-1 win, a Peterborough United 4-0 win and a Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 win, so goals were expected.
Peterborough United manager Luke Williams started with a 4-2-3-1 formation with Alex Bass in goal, then a back four of James Dornelly, Tom O'Connor, Josh Feeney and Harley Mills, then two holding midfielders in Liam Kelly and Harrison Jones, then three attacking midfielders in the speedy Bolu Shofowoke, Ben Woods and Ethan Williams with captain Harry Leonard up top.
Sheffield Wednesday manager Henrik Pedersen started with a 4-2-3-1 formation with Joe Lumley in goal, then a back four of Yan Valery, Gabriel Otegbayo, Liam Cooper and Reece James, then two holding midfielders in Jaden Heskey and captain marvel himself Barry Bannan, then three attacking midfielders in Jamal Lowe, Callum Slattery and Kieran Morrison with Davis Keillor-Dunn up top.
Peterborough United kicked off the first half in bright sunshine at a packed Weston Homes Stadium for the visit of Sheffield Wednesday. The Owls were backed by strong, noisy support and were well organised in midfield with Barry Bannan instrumental in the forward moves in support of the target man Davis Keillor-Dunn.
Peterborough United manager Luke Williams was forced into an early substitution with Tom O'Connor replaced by David Okagbue in the 14th minute. Peterborough United forced a corner in the 19th minute which was punched clear by Joe Lumley in the Wednesday goal.
Sheffield Wednesday went close through a header by Callum Slattery in the 31st minute and then Peterborough United went close through a Harry Leonard right footed shot in the 32nd minute.
Sheffield Wednesday opened the scoring with a soft goal in the 38th minute. Kieran Morrison hooked the ball into the six yard box and it went into the net off Josh Feeney for an own goal after David Okagbue tried to clear but succeeded only in putting it in off his own player to make it 0-1 to the Owls.
Peterborough United replied well and in the 40th minute Harry Leonard hit the post with a right footed shot which beat Joe Lumley, from an assist by Ethan Williams. Williams was then yellow carded for a foul on Kieran Morrison in the 43rd minute.
Sheffield Wednesday led 1-0 at half time and kicked off the second half a goal to the good. They replaced Liam Cooper with Ernie Weaver in the 46th minute.
Peterborough United started the second half well and equalised through Ben Woods with a header which beat Joe Lumley in the 47th minute, from an assist by James Dornelly, to make it 1-1. Sheffield Wednesday then replaced Jaden Heskey with Billy Mitchell in the 57th minute as manager Henrik Pedersen looked to bring on fresh legs, and Jamal Lowe made way for Mason Burstow in the 58th. Both sides continued to change things, Posh bringing on Daniel Ormerod for Ethan Williams in the 63rd minute and then replacing Liam Kelly and Harrison Jones with Brandon Khela and Harry Ashfield in the 75th minute.
Peterborough United started turning the screw thereafter and nearly went ahead when Joe Lumley had to prevent his team-mate Reece James from inadvertently heading the ball into his own goal. The visitors still looked threatening and nearly restored their advantage just beyond the hour mark as Barry Bannan swept a left footed shot narrowly wide of the post.
Brandon Khela was yellow carded in the 78th minute. Sheffield Wednesday had Jaden Heskey, Kieran Morrison and Callum Slattery all yellow carded across the second half.
Sheffield Wednesday sealed the win in the 79th minute when defender Yan Valery scored with a header which appeared to go in off his shoulder, from a Kieran Morrison corner, to make it 2-1, and that is how it ended. Peterborough United's Harry Ashfield came closest to bringing the home side level again but his shot from distance late on went inches wide of the target.
Sheffield Wednesday ended the day top of League One on 12 points ahead of Huddersfield Town, Stockport County and Bradford City. Peterborough United slumped to 20th spot with the defeat, just above the relegation zone. Peterborough United travel to MK Dons next whilst Sheffield Wednesday host Wigan Athletic.
Match statistics
| Metric | Peterborough United | Sheffield Wednesday |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 1 | 2 |
| Yellow Cards | 2 | 3 |
| Red Cards | 0 | 0 |
| Attendance | 10,848 |
Possession, shots, passing and fouls: official match data issued in the press box. Expected goals: third party provider, as published. Saves counted at the ground and verified against the team sheet.
Match details
- Competition
- SkyBet League One
- Venue
- Weston Homes Stadium, London Road, Peterborough
- Attendance
- 10,848
- Referee
- Andrew Humphries - Assistant Referees: Jonathan Block, Grant Taylor - 4th Official: Craig Hicks
- Peterborough United (4-2-3-1)
- Bass - Dornelly, Feeney, O'Connor (14, Okagbue), Mills - Kelly (75, Khela), Jones (75, Ashfield) - Shofowoke, Woods, Williams (63, Ormerod) - Leonard (c). Unused: Smith (G), Weir, Conn-Clarke
- Sheffield Wednesday (4-2-3-1)
- Lumley - Valery (87, Palmer), Otegbayo, Cooper (46, Weaver), James - Heskey (57, Mitchell), Bannan (c) - Lowe (58, Burstow), Slattery, Morrison - Keillor-Dunn. Unused: Trueman (G), Al-Hamadi, Grainger
Editorial judgement, not a statistic
William Powell's standout players
Yan Valery (Sheffield Wednesday) - Solid at right back and won the game with his header from a corner
Barry Bannan (Sheffield Wednesday) - Captain marvel again, instrumental in everything the Owls did going forward
Kieran Morrison (Sheffield Wednesday) - A hand in both goals, hooking in the first and delivering the corner for the second
Ben Woods (Peterborough United) - Headed the equaliser and gave Posh a foothold after the break
Harry Leonard (Peterborough United) - Led the line as captain and was unlucky to hit the post
David Okagbue (Peterborough United) - Unfortunate with the own goal but steady after his early introduction
Selected by William Powell at the ground.
William Powell
Senior Editor · FWA Life Member · Sports Journalist since 1987
William Powell is CUVA Sports' senior editor and lead correspondent, covering football and cricket at the highest level for nearly four decades. A Life Member of the Football Writers' Association, his writing combines deep tactical knowledge with the narrative flair of the best sports journalism.
