Two goals in two first half minutes from Town’s Paul Anderson and Sheffield Wednesday’s Michail Antonio saw the Blues and Owls draw 1-1 at Hillsborough. Both sides also hit the woodwork, Cole Skuse for Town in the first half and sub Jermaine Johnson for Wednesday late on.

Boss Mick McCarthy named an unchanged Town side for fourth successive game, despite surrendering a three-goal lead at Derby in midweek.

The Blues had the better of the opening spell but were unable to serious threaten until the 10th minute when Daryl Murphy, like his strike partner David McGoldrick a former Wednesday loanee, struck a shot which was blocked. The rebound fell to Cole Skuse but his strike deflected harmlessly through to Chris Kirkland in the Owls goal.

The home side went close to going in front a minute later when Jeremy Helan got away down the left and crossed low. Matty Fryatt failed to get a significant touch, but the ball fell to Atdhe Nuhiu behind him, however Dean Gerken was quickly off his line to block.

From the Owls corner Town went straight up the other end and scored. Ryan Tunnicliffe’s clearance found McGoldrick acres of space on the left. After taking the ball down, the Blues striker crossed perfectly for the unmarked Paul Anderson, who slammed in his second goal of the season.

Wednesday manager Dave Jones will have been tearing his hair out at the playground way in which his side had conceded.

But the Blues’ lead would last only two minutes. Helan crossed from the left, Nuhiu nodded back across goal while in acres of space and the similarly unmarked Michail Antonio powerfully headed home the equaliser with the game still only 14 minutes old.

Championship Player of the Month McGoldrick shot over from distance, then Murphy failed to spot Anderson in space inside the area.

On 27 McGoldrick almost played in Murphy with a clever pass on the turn, but Kirkland was off his line quickly to clear. Wednesday, however, had had the better of the second quarter of an hour, with Helan giving Chambers a busy afternoon down the Blues right, but without seriously threatening Gerken’s goal.

Town were within a whisker from going back in front in the 37th minute. Skuse lost Fryatt as Aaron Cresswell found him with a throw-in from the left. The former Bristol City man unleashed a 25-yard strike which crashed against the inside of Kirkland’s right post before flying across goal towards the corner flag.

Two minutes later, Cresswell was rather further away with a shot from a tight angle on the left from even further out, but it was the Blues who were having more of the ball and looking the more dangerous of the two sides.

Moments before the break, keeper Gerken prevented the Blues from going behind with a save from virtually point blank from Fryatt. The on-loan Hull City man was put through on goal behind the Town backline after the ball had flicked off the back of Christophe Berra’s head and seemed certain to score but Gerken spread himself and seemed to block his shot with his face.

The level scoreline at the break was a fair reflection of a relatively even half in which both sides had had their spells on top and chances.

Mick McCarthy will be unhappy to have conceded such a poor goal so soon after the Blues had gone in front, while his Owls opposite number David Jones is likely to have been launching similar enquiries regarding the Sunday morning nature of Town’s opener.

Murphy headed wide from a Cresswell corner as Town started the second half on the front foot. Wednesday’s first chance of the half was headed wide by Reda Johnson from an Antonio cross. Not long after the Owls’ skipper made way for one-time Blues trialist Jermaine Johnson.

As the game moved towards the hour mark Kirkland was forced into a rather panicky punch as Anderson chased down a long ball down the middle, then Murphy scuffed a strike so wide it went out for a throw.

A minute later, the Irishman went rather closer after skipping away from a defender on the left but Kirkland was equal to his shot.

Anderson wasn’t far away from his second goal of the game in the 66th minute when McGoldrick’s clever flick fed Murphy on the right, breaking into the area. The Irishman played the ball back to Anderson, whose low shot was well saved by Kirkland down to his left.

From the corner, McGoldrick headed over with Murphy behind him perhaps better placed to get more control over his attempt at goal.

McGoldrick’s 71st minute shot was too high with the Blues continuing to look the more threatening of the two teams, although it took a superb challenge from Tunnicliffe to dispossess Jermaine Johnson as he broke forward in the 73rd minute.

On 76 the Jamaican international almost put his side ahead with a superb 35-yard strike which beat Gerken but cannoned off the crossbar. Three minutes later, Smith was booked for a foul on the sub, who had made quite an impression since coming on.

Murphy made way for Frank Nouble in the 85th minute with the game looking likely to drift towards a draw. As it moved into its final scheduled minute Jermaine Johnson was booked for dissent.

In injury time Tyrone Mings took over from McGoldrick with the Blues settling for their second away point of the week.

A draw was probably a fair result with both teams having had chances in the second half, although none as good as the one Fryatt spurned just before the break, Jermaine Johnson going closest with his shot against the woodwork.

Town rarely played the fluent football that they did against Brighton last week or in the first half against Derby in a battling performance which was more reminiscent of last season’s away displays than earlier games this season.

The Blues’ current run stretches to one defeat in seven, while Wednesday are still without a victory this season, a fact reflected by the boos which rang around Hillsborough at the final whistle.

While Mick McCarthy will have been hugely disappointed not to have won at Derby on Tuesday having been three goals up at the break, the Blues boss won’t be too unhappy that his side has been unbeaten in back to back away games.

Sheffield Wednesday: Kirkland, Buxton, Reda Johnson (c) (J Johnson 57), Roger Johnson, Llera, McPhail, Coke (Semedo 43), Antonio, Helan, Fryatt (Palmer 75), Nuhiu. Unused: Dawson, Zayatte, McCabe.

Town: Gerken, Chambers (c), Berra, Smith, Cresswell, Anderson (Tabb 79), Hyam, Skuse, Tunnicliffe, Murphy (Nouble 85), McGoldrick (Mings 90). Unused: Loach, Hewitt, Edwards, Wordsworth. Referee: Andy Haines (Tyne and Wear). Att: 19,519.

Photo: Action Images

muccletonjoe added 17:13 - Oct 5 Wednesday almost certs for relegation IMO , we are lmost certs to finnish within a couple of places of where we are now.
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thebeat added 17:16 - Oct 5 Meh..........
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runaround added 17:20 - Oct 5 I'm sure Mick will say win your home games and draw your away games and you will be challenging but the last 2 away games have both been very winnable yet we have failed to this & seem to be happy to just pick up the odd point away. This is the wrong tactic for me I still feel Mick is the right man but am finding our away performances very frustrating
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TimmyH added 17:28 - Oct 5 Yes that's true @runaround - agree! we've had an opportunity this week to pick up more than 2 points on our travels and basically have failed to do so, if we can't beat Sheff Wed away then you have to wonder with our mental approach once we take the lead what teams we can beat currently away? Yeovil, Doncaster? As said though keep winning the homes and we should at least be around mid table.

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TractorBoy666 added 17:32 - Oct 5 Hmm, I guess this kind of draw is not so hard to take than Tuesdays. However, we should be winning these kind of away games, although Wednesday have drawn most of their games. I just think it's time for a change in midfield and take Hyam out for either Tabb or Wordsworth, just to freshen things up a bit. Just annoyed at how we gave away our lead so quickly and couldn't hold onto it for longer! Oh well, big game at home to high flying Burnley next and they're due for a loss aren't they?

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georgelamming added 17:33 - Oct 5 christ knows why he doesnt give wordsworth a go. Lacking creativity in midfield, and have one of the best creative midfielders in league one on the bench? mind boggling.
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Dissboyitfc added 17:45 - Oct 5 Anderson has just stated we are delighted to get a point away from home, not the mentality of a winner is it? Maybe thats the reason we arent winning away from home, you need a winning mentality. On another note, dont agree with chambers at right back, he is a centre half, square pegs in round holes. The first thing MM did when i joined us was relieve carlos at full back which was right as Carlos is no full back and neither is chambers, a step backwards, play Hewitt there...coyb

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Dissboyitfc added 17:47 - Oct 5 When he joined us, not i
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thebeat added 17:48 - Oct 5 georgelamming i agree but Mick likes 2 defensive midfielders in front of the back four. I blame poor team selection for our away form at the moment. We would be so much better if we played Wordsworth, Tabb or Tunnicliffe in the middle with Skuse and put Chambers and S mith back together. But hey Mick has his favourites and while he keeps picking them we will continue to lose or draw games we should be winning. I like Mick but Hyam and Berra should not be in the team at the moment. We need some creativity in there and we need the centre half partnership that got us so many clean sheets last season. We should not be shunting our captain out to right back.

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Hamish1979 added 18:00 - Oct 5 A draw away to Wednesday is a GOOD result, moaners.
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prebbs007 added 18:04 - Oct 5 Seems crazy to say we lack creativity when only 3 teams in the division have scored more goals than us but that is exactly the case. Skuse has been an excellent replacement for N'daw but he is not going to play the defence splitting pass. Let's be honest out 2 most creative players are also the only 2 players we have who are really likely to be able to hold their own in the premier league, Mcgoldrick and Cresswell !!! The rest are at best average and that's why we will be very fortunate to challenge top 6 this season. We need more creativity. Tunnicliffe must play in the middle instead of Hyam who is just not good enough for this level. We then need to bring in creativity on the left and another goal scorer to help the championship player of the month. SEB has a proven record in this division and may be that goal scorer. A premier league loanee for the left wing would help. Would be cheeky and ask Man Ure for Januzaj but as he is in their team at Sunderland I doubt that will happen. Spurs have about 75 players perhaps they have someone we could borrow. Either way this 11 (18 squad) will NOT get us in top 6. Love to be shown to be wrong come next May !!!

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WashbrookBlue added 18:09 - Oct 5 I'm with Hamish. One defeat in seven, scoring more goals than expected. Wordsworth best creative midfielder in championship??? Well that's a brave call about a guy that's only played a handful of games outside league 1. Find the ridiculous expectations on here almost laughable (like people being traumatised about not even losing an away game and scoring 4 in midweek). Talk about short memories. Haven't looked but suspect we are still top half with a scratch side costing zilch compared to the darkness of the last few years. Who wants to question mm's judgement and performance on that basis?! Get real.

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thebeat added 18:18 - Oct 5 WashbrookBlue i dont think its too much to expect more than 2 points from a game we were cruising 4-1 at half time and probably the worst team in the division in Sheffield Wednesday. Its our defensive frailty thats costing us at the moment.Dont get me wrong i dont expect to get to the playoffs but we should have picked up more points against Birmingham,Derby,Wednesday and QPR this season. It was MM's decision to break up the best pairing at the back in the league after Christmas just so his boy can play. Thats why people will question his judgement. Im grateful we arent in a relegation scrap but the point is we should have more points in the bag.

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georgelamming added 18:30 - Oct 5 no, wordsworth was one of the best creative mids in league one, as stated originally.
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WashbrookBlue added 18:32 - Oct 5 4 or 5 points more perhaps yes and I can go with general concerns about cutting edge, creativity blah blah BUT and it's a big but we're actually scoring quite freely and we're not looking up now down. And if he can get more of "his boys" like Berra and skuse who I think pound for pound have been brilliant signings then that's alright with me. Elliot is just not there yet defensively on afraid and chambers has done damn well there so what's the problem with that exactly?? I just don't get this carping, I really don't. And I hope that Wordsworth really is that good but what's that asked on exactly. In your view and others anyone not in the team just gets better and bette whilst those with the shirt losing only one in seven get slated. For heavens sake.

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thebeat added 18:38 - Oct 5 Sorry but you dont put square pegs in round holes. Chambers is not a right back and we arent as solid as we were with him and Smith together.They are both facts not opinion. I dont think we are far off i would just change Chambers back and be braver in midfield by dropping Hyam. Apart from that i think we're fine
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WashbrookBlue added 18:41 - Oct 5 Sorry for poor spelling, memo to me, don't post on train with iPhone! But come on let's be a bit more positive. Leeds lost at derby 3-1, so would they have taken 4-4? Brighton doing well with forest and we made them look ordinary. I can do pessimism in spades but I think that runs contrary to some facts. Loads would swap places.
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ericclacton added 18:56 - Oct 5 Great fantastic have a drink.
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ManningtreeBlue99 added 19:07 - Oct 5 YAWN, most boring game I ever saw. A good point though, unlike Derby. Tunnicliffe stand out player again for me. Commitment is that of Lee Martin, without the red cards. Great player!
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J4ck22 added 19:19 - Oct 5 Let's just all take a moment and remember that this time last year (give or take 1/2 weeks), we were rock bottom of the league and getting spanked by this team at home. I'd say that we've made a pretty big improvement in that year and one away point is always better than none and as long as we keep getting results at home, away draws aren't the end of the world and certainly won't have us fighting relegation.

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Jimmy86 added 19:28 - Oct 5 Yes its good to get another draw away from home but we should really be a bit more adventurous in our apprach away from home especially when tjese games are winnable, like today's game as well as tuesday. All too often we seem happy to play for a draw away from home, huddersfield away springs to mind last season, but clearly circumstances were different, what with us needing points etc. I also agree with an above post regarding wordsworth, mick signed him and now doesnt play him, which is strange, clearly is more technical than hyam and certainly can create more. Drawing away and winning at home will see us up at the right end of the table, but feel should mix that in with some wins. Coyb

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dubblue added 19:44 - Oct 5 I agree that we are in a much better position than this time last year but we need to pick up some away wins against the weaker teams if we are to make the playoffs.
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blueboy1981 added 19:45 - Oct 5 What we have seen so far this season, and again today, is typical and essentially :- Mick McCarthy. We have a square peg in a round hole at RB (although he's doing his very best) - consequently we will never have the effectiveness down the right we could / should have. Hewitt would be a better option. Hyam will never score goals from midfield - far too defensive minded. Another John Wark ? - not in a lifetime. The player with 'flair' that could have made the difference today - was 'Man of the Match' for Peterborough - interesting for someone 'who's not fit' ......... !!!!!! The problem is that this kind of point will always be seen as 'a good one' - anyone who saw it would agree that three points were there for the taking against a very poor team. However, I guess many will be satisfied with the point - in my opinion that's not setting the sights high enough for anything other than survival.

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bohslegend added 20:10 - Oct 5 Oct 2012: ITFC 0 SWFC 3. Town bottom. Oct 2013: SWFC 1 ITFC 1. Town top half. So any Town fan moaning tonight must be a bit of a nob. — Big Mick ITFC (@BigMickITFC) October 5, 2013
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WestNorfolk_Blue added 20:40 - Oct 5 Taylor has flair and skill, but only thinks of himself and doesnt pass. Looks great at times i agree bt MM loves team players. If he can learn to look up and consider other options could be a fantastic TOWN player but fear he will end up another one let go rather than sold for £'s
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