Sheffield Wednesday 4-1 Birmingham City

Written By: Oliver Osborn (The Bluenose Bible)

Birmingham City edge closer to the relegation zone after being hammered 4-1 by Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.

A brace from Caolan Lavery and a goal from Leon Best as well as a Will Packwood own goal sealed the win in a game where the visitors never got going.

Lee Novak scored a consolation late on, but it’s now one win in seven games for Lee Clark’s side.

The home side dominated the match from the start and were rewarded for their efforts after a quarter of an hour.

Canadian-born winger Lavery cut inside from the right past Tyler Blackett and hit a low shot into the bottom corner.

It took just five minutes for the the Owls to double their lead through on loan Leon Best.

Chris Maguire’s corner was well flicked on by Lavery, but Randolph couldn’t hold onto the header towards goal and the striker was able to tap in the second.

The fact that Blackett was replaced minutes after the second for “tactical reasons” told you all you needed to know about his performance…

A positive note in the first half was that Wednesday failed to score a third when referee Steve Martin ruled out Atdhe Nuhiu’s effort for a push on Will Packwood.

After Robinson was brought off for a bad head injury following the interval, Clark was only able to bring on Federico Macheda to look for a route back into the game, although he’d barely touched the ball when Wednesday put the result beyond doubt.

Jeremy Helan made a powerful run down the left past Paul Caddis before drilling a low cross into the middle where Packwood could only loop the ball over his own goalkeeper.

Lavery’s second was also the goal of the game with the ball sailing into the top corner.

The winger was teed up by Maguire on the edge of the box and the 21-year-old curled the ball expertly into the corner, leaving Randolph with no chance.

Despite some Bluenoses already leaving at this point, the remainder were able to see Lee Novak tap in his seventh league goal of the season with ten minutes to go.

Substitute Macheda made a superb run down the right side of the box, beating a couple of players in the process, and finding Novak at the back post with a low ball across goal.

The striker poked home, but he was rewarded with ironic cheers from the home end for his efforts.

With no team below them winning, Birmingham stay in 19th and eight points clear of the relegation zone, whereas Wednesday move up to 16th with their emphatic win.

Birmingham manager Lee Clark:

“I’ve got no complaints about the result because I thought Stuart’s side were excellent, whereas we were just disappointing.

“I’m disappointed, frustrated, and worried. There are so many adjectives to describe how I’m feeling, but all in all I think that our efforts from Wednesday night [a 3-3 draw with Burnley] just took its toll on us.

“I’m nervous as it is because we are too close to the drop for my liking. It’s not that bad at this moment in time but we just need to look after ourselves a little better.”

 Sheffield Wednesday boss Stuart Gray:

“I said to the players before they went out that they needed to get their tackles in, crosses in, shots in, and that’s exactly what they did.

“I don’t think Birmingham threatened all game. They got one back, which was a little disappointing, but I just wish it could have been 4-0 for the sake of the players.”

Starting line up: Randolph; Spector, Packwood, Robinson (Martin HT’), Blackett (Caddis 24′); Huws, Adeyemi, Lee (Macheda 58′); Burke, Novak, Shinnie

Subs not used: Doyle, Rusnak, Ibe, Zigic

Man of the match: Glenn Loovens