Match Preview: Sheffield Wednesday v Pompey

All you need to know about League One contest

29 April 2022

There is a worry that a side’s season can tail off dramatically once they have nothing but pride to play for.

But that has not been the case at Pompey, who in the past week have dented Gillingham’s survival hopes before denying Wigan the chance to secure promotion.

Now Danny Cowley’s men will look to frustrate another club when they close the campaign at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday (12.30pm kick-off).

The hosts had dropped out of the play-off places after losing at Wycombe last Saturday, only to battle from behind to win at struggling Fleetwood on Tuesday.

It leaves the Owls – managed by former Blues defender Darren Moore – in fourth spot and in need of three points to guarantee an extension to their season.

They are aiming for an instant return to the Championship, having finished bottom of the standings last term.

Wednesday would have stayed up, however, were it not for a six-point penalty for breaching EFL rules.

This is the first time that the sides have been in the same division since Pompey romped to the second tier title in 2002/03.

They triumphed 3-1 at Hillsborough that season, courtesy of Svetoslav Todorov’s brace and a goal for Gary O’Neil.

It finished 0-0 at Fratton Park earlier in the current campaign, though, with the hosts not able to capitalise on Massimo Luongo’s dismissal midway through the second half.

TEAM NEWS
Kieron Freeman (ankle), Reeco Hackett (knee) Denver Hume (back) and Jayden Reid (knee) are all still sidelined for Pompey.

Dominic Iorfa is out for the hosts after picking up a knock in training, but Dennis Adeniran could be available again following a hamstring problem.

VIEW FROM THE DRESSING ROOM
Read the thoughts of Danny Cowley and George Hirst ahead of the game.

HEAD TO HEAD
Overall
Pompey: 27 wins
Sheffield Wednesday: 26 wins
15 draws

At Hillsborough
Pompey: 9 wins
Sheffield Wednesday: 17 wins
8 draws

TICKETS
Pompey fans are no longer able to buy tickets for this contest and they will not be sold at Hillsborough on the day of the game.

Please note that seating in the away section is unreserved and there are no away pubs in the area of the stadium, but the city centre has plenty of bars that will admit Pompey fans.

Hillsborough is located five miles from the city centre and if using the tram, catch the Yellow Line Middlewood service, disembarking at Leppings Lane for the ground. Tram stops can be found on West Street.

OFFICIALS
Referee: Anthony Backhouse
Assistants: Matthew Smith and Robert Atkin
Fourth Official: Wayne Grunnill

MATCH COVERAGE
Domestic iFollow subscribers can listen to live commentary from Ian Wilding and Guy Whittingham by signing into their account and visiting the match centre from around 12pm on Saturday.

Overseas subscribers and match pass holders can watch all the action live, with accompanying commentary.

Click here for more information about using iFollow on a matchday and click here for information on downloading the app, so you can access content on your mobile device.

We will have updates throughout the game on Twitter and the match centre. You can also see behind-the-scenes content on our Instagram story.

There will be post-match reaction on the website and our official YouTube channel, with highlights to follow on Sunday.

Local listeners can hear commentary by tuning in to either BBC Radio Solent or Express FM.

BETTING
Sheffield Wednesday are the 4/7 favourites with VBET to secure all three points, while Pompey can be backed at 21/5.

Click here to find a comprehensive list of odds for Saturday’s game. 18+. Please gamble responsibly.

We are committed to playing our part in ensuring our relationship with VBET is promoted in the right way to our supporters.

That is why VBET has partnered with BettorMind, to provide responsible gambling advice around key betting behaviours.

When it comes to betting, we advise all fans to make use of our dedicated responsible gambling site.

ALSO IN LEAGUE ONE
All games kick-off at 12.30pm

AFC Wimbledon v Accrington
Bolton v Fleetwood
Burton v Wycombe
Cambridge v Cheltenham
Gillingham v Rotherham
Ipswich v Charlton
Lincoln v Crewe
Morecambe v Sunderland
Oxford v Doncaster
Plymouth v MK Dons
Shrewsbury v Wigan

LAST MEETING

Match Previews

Match Reports

Sheffield Wednesday 4 Pompey 1

Hirst on target, but Blues are beaten

30 April 2022

Joe Morrell in action for Pompey at Sheffield Wednesday — Photo: Paul Thompson

George Hirst’s early strike was not enough to prevent Pompey from ending the season with defeat at Sheffield Wednesday.

The striker had silenced the home crowd by firing home against his former club, putting their play-off spot in jeopardy.

But that extra momentum proved enough, as Lee Gregory, Saido Berahino and Jordan Storey all struck before the break.

George Byers then nodded home in the closing stages to ensure the Owls would finish in League One’s top six.

Danny Cowley stuck with the same side that fought from behind to beat Wigan earlier in the week, although teenage defender Liam Vincent was elevated to the bench.

Byers started for the home side, while fellow former Fratton loanee Nathaniel Mendez-Laing was named among their substitutes.

The visitors got off to a flying start and broke the deadlock in just the fourth minute to stun their opponents.

HIRST – who began his career with the Owls – had been roundly booed by the home support, but he was the man who got the goal.

The striker slotted the ball home after Ronan Curtis had raced onto a Connor Ogilvie pass and delivered the ball into the mixer.

But Wednesday soon picked things up and Gavin Bazunu had to be alert to deal with an under-hit Clark Robertson back-pass before Berahino could capitalise.

The keeper could do nothing to prevent the equaliser, however, as Gregory neatly diverted Marvin Johnson’s pass into the bottom corner.

And they kept pushing forward, with Bazunu beating away an angled Gregory strike and then acrobatically turning Barry Bannan’s effort over the bar.

The hosts eventually made their pressure count, though, and Berahino forced the ball home after a corner had bounced dangerously around the box.

It soon got even worse for the Blues, as Byers cut in from the right and squared for Storey to convert before the break.

Half Time: Sheffield Wednesday 3 Pompey 1

The second half did not begin in the same explosive manner as the first, although a series of fouls gave both sides free-kicks in dangerous areas.

One was earned by Curtis on the left, but the delivery from Michael Jacobs was flicked onto the roof of the net by Marcus Harness.

Hirst was then quickly surrounded by a sea of defenders after good link-up play between Harness and Hayden Carter had provided an opening for the striker.

Bazunu came to the rescue at the other end, denying Byers after he had been picked out inside the area by Johnson.

There were certainly not an abundance of clear-cut openings to excite the large crowd, though, as the contest began to drift along.

Cowley tried to liven things up with a substitution and Jacobs made way for Tuesday night’s goal hero Aiden O’Brien.

It almost had the desired impact, with the forward flicking the ball against the outside of the post following great work on the left by Curtis.

But the Owls then almost scored themselves, with Gregory lifting a shot over Bazunu and onto the roof of the net.

It was certainly livening up and when Sean Raggett met a Harness corner, his header was tipped against the crossbar by Bailey Peacock-Farrell.

Pompey were certainly not giving up the chase and it took another fine stop from the home keeper to keep out a fierce Hirst drive on 79 minutes.

But Bazunu had to show his athleticism once more to turn a fierce drive from substitute Callum Paterson over the bar.

Sheffield Wednesday did wrap things up from the resulting corner, however, as Byers nodded home from a Josh Windass delivery.

Jay Mingi came off the bench and had a chance to grab a stoppage-time consolation that would have seen the Blues finish ninth instead of 10th, but could not keep his shot down from a Hirst cut-back.

Sheffield Wednesday (3-5-2): Peacock-Farrell; Storey, Hutchinson, Palmer; Hunt, Byers, Luongo, Bannan (c) (Paterson 83), Johnson; Berahino (Windass 76), Gregory (Dele-Bashiru 88)
Goals: Gregory 17, Berahino 36, Storey 40, Byers 86
Booked: Gregoy, Paterson, Byers
Subs not used: Wildsmith, Gibson, Dunkley, Mendez-Laing

Pompey (4-2-3-1): Bazunu; Carter, Raggett, Robertson (c), Ogilvie; Morrell, Thompson (Mingi 88); Harness, Jacobs (O’Brien 64), Curtis; Hirst
Goals: Hirst 6
Booked: Morrell
Subs not used: Webber, Romeo, Vincent, Williams, Walker

Referee: Anthony Backhouse

Attendance: 33,394 (2,558 Pompey fans)