Skipper Luke Chambers headed an 87th minute winner to see the Blues to a 2-1 victory over Sheffield Wednesday, maintaining boss Mick McCarthy’s unbeaten record as a manager at Hillsborough. In the first half Tom Lawrence had put Town ahead with a brilliant first goal for the Blues but Gary Hooper had hit back almost immediately with what looked to be an offside goal for the Owls.

Jonas Knudsen returned at left-back in an otherwise unchanged Town side, the Danish international having missed last week’s 2-2 home draw with Rotherham due to a back injury. Myles Kenlock dropped to the bench.

The game started brightly with both sides creating early opportunities. Blues captain Chambers did well to get across to crowd out Adam Reach after the former Middlesbrough winger had been played in down the middle in the second minute.

Play quickly moved to the other end of the field and David McGoldrick tricked his way past a defender on the edge of the box but screwed his effort well wide.

On eight Barry Bannan shot over from 20 yards after Kieran Lee had escaped down the Wednesday right and cut in.

Neither side was able to create a further chance until the 25th minute when Steven Fletcher struck a shot on the turn which Adam Webster deflected behind. From David Jones’s corner on the left, Fletcher headed powerfully over.

But Town, in their all white second strip for the first time in the Championship, had been been in what was an evenly-balanced game, albeit without conjuring an opportunity.

Until that is the 32nd minute when Lawrence put the Blues ahead with a brilliant first goal for the club.

The on-loan Leicester man dispossessed Jack Hunt just inside the Town half and brought the ball forward before cutting inside and smashing a low right-foot shot from just inside the box across keeper Keiren Westwood and into the net.

What a run! 😮 @Official_ITFC and @FAWales midfielder @TomLawrence99 runs half the half of the length of the pitch to score. pic.twitter.com/uScRaWAqfg– Football On 5 (@FootballOn5) November 5, 2016

But Town’s lead lasted less than four minutes. Jones, who played for Mick McCarthy at Wolves, hit a low shot which Bartosz Bialkowski did well to keep out down to his left but Hooper reacted quickest to slam home from close range, although looking to be one of a number of Wednesday players to have strayed offside.

Reach, who was a player Town showed interest in early in the summer, headed back across goal but with none of his team-mates in the box on 41, then at the other end McGoldrick crossed too deep for Freddie Sears and Daniel Pudil headed back to his keeper while grounded.

Neither side threatened again and the scoreline at the break was a fair reflection of the half.

Wednesday had had the better of the game’s few chances prior to Lawrence’s excellent goal, while the Blues will be disappointed to have conceded so soon after grabbing the lead, even more so if replays confirm that Hooper was indeed offside.

The Owls almost took the lead within a minute of the restart, Hooper battling to the edge of the area before hitting a low shot which Bialkowski saved down to his right. Webster and Lee both reacted quickly and the Town defender did enough to cause the Wednesday midfielder to stab wide.

On 55 Hunt crossed from the right but Fletcher was unable to get over the ball and sent his header well wide.

A minute later Town skipper Chambers picked up the game’s first yellow card for a foul on Reach, then Fernando Forestieri replaced the former Boro man, before Fletcher was yellow-carded for a foul on Sears in the 59th minute.

Town had been more on the back foot after the break with the home side in charge but without creating too many chances.

Webster made one of his increasingly familiar charges forward in the 66th minute but was dispossessed before he could find Sears to his right. Jonny Williams replaced the again quiet Bishop in the 70th minute.

Fletcher hit a weak effort through to Bialkowski in the 73rd minute with Wednesday by this stage rarely threatening against a determined and disciplined Blues side and the home crowd making their frustration and anxiety clear.

With a quarter of an hour remaining Wednesday swapped Jones for Ross Wallace, then on 79 Kevin Bru took over from Lawrence for Town.

The Blues created what was up to then their best opening of the half in the 81st minute after a Cole Skuse break. Williams failed to find McGoldrick with a chip to the far post but the ball fell to Ward, who played in Sears but as Westwood closed him down quickly, the striker’s shot hit the stanchion behind the goal.

Town were starting to look the more dangerous side and on 84 Williams came close to his first goal of his latest loan spell at Portman Road.

Ward found himself space on the right to cross and the Wales international turned the ball against Sam Hutchinson from inside the six-yard box when he seemed certain to score.

But the Blues didn’t have to wait too long for what would prove the winning goal. Ward won a freekick wide on the right and the former Tottenham man whipped over a deep cross, Berra won a free header at the far post but the ball was going wide until Chambers nodded his second goal of the season powerfully past Westwood at the far post, right in front of the travelling Town support.

In the final minute of normal time Luke Varney, like McGoldrick a one-time Wednesday loanee, replaced Ward.

As the fourth official’s board indicated four additional minutes McGoldrick cut in from the left but scraped his shot across the face and wide.

The Blues saw out the remaining minutes comfortably to claim a hard-fought three points.

After an even first half, Wednesday had the better of the early stages of the half but the Blues defended determinedly and in the latter stages broke quickly through among others Sears, McGoldrick and Williams and in the final 10 minutes looked the more likely winners with Chambers reacting quickly to add his header with Berra’s on the way wide.

The result sees the Blues go into the international break having moved up one place to 15th, now seven points off the relegation zone and five off the play-offs.

Sheffield Wednesday: Westwood, Jones (Wallace 75), Lee, Fletcher, Reach (Forestieri 57), Hooper (Abdi 81), Lees (c), Hutchinson, Hunt, Pudil, Bannan. Unused: Dawson, Loovens, Palmer, Buckley.

Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c), Knudsen, Webster, Berra, Skuse, Bishop (Williams 70), Ward (Varney 90), Lawrence (Bru 79), Sears, McGoldrick. Unused: Gerken, Best, Emmanuel, Kenlock. Referee: Andrew Madley (West Yorkshire). Attendance: 25,851.

Photo: TWTD

Telford_Blue added 17:15 - Nov 5 It does not matter who the manager is or anyone's opinion of them. This is a great (and possibly unexpected) three points against a team finding some form. Let's just celebrate a very welcome victory. Well done ITFC!! COYB
61

blueboy1981 added 17:15 - Nov 5 Undoubtedly a great result - well done all. Now lets move on and play with a bit more intent on winning - Home and Away, The ability is in the squad to do so.
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martin587 added 17:18 - Nov 5 For once a very long HAPPY drive home.I felt we were lucky to win.but we did well enough,but still a very long way to go.The players are there,it's all down to MM and the tactics he employs.Well done lads.
19

Swn98 added 17:18 - Nov 5 Great result let's let MM manage the resources available and the fans support the team.
12

boroughblue added 17:19 - Nov 5 Come on then mick haters. What do you have to say after that?
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hello66 added 17:20 - Nov 5 Pleased we won .... but I standby that Mick road if Finnished and Ipswich town FC needs new direction and acttaking style of play before I return . Result is 60% of it but 40% is intertainment to buying a £30-£40 ticket ! I will return when the style of play changes ! Pleased they won !
0

WindsorBlueArmy added 17:21 - Nov 5 Looking forward to the journey home and reading negative comments from those not at game.Yes we were under the cosh for long periods of time but defended well and more importantly got 3 well needed points.What a player Tom Lawrence is.For Chambo to score the 2nd goal must do his confidence a massive favour.COYB
22

jas0999 added 17:21 - Nov 5 Our best result of the season. We beat Derby but were battered and set up to bore. Today we selected an attacking line up and tried to win the game. We reaped the benefits of that. Great result, not making up for an average 2016, but nonetheless a small step in the right direction. If Mick has finally learnt that Skuse/Douglas doesn't work then we may stand an outside chance. If we can continue to attack, win a few matches and reinvest the Murphy cash + wages in January then you never know. There are however a lot of good teams above us. Great result today. Well done all!

36

blootheref added 17:21 - Nov 5 I actually thought we'd get something today, so it was great to see MM send out an attacking side, which got us the reward. More of the same please Mick!
20

midastouch added 17:22 - Nov 5 Great result. Well done. And to round things off Norwich lose at home as well. Very happy indeed! Living in deepest darkest Norfolk I can't get Radio Suffolk so I have to suffer the red button for updates so had no idea how the game was going. Lawrence has looked lively and the goal sounded a cracker so very much looking forward to seeing it on the box tonight. I've called Mick a stubborn dinosaur plenty of times but I wonder if he's actually started to listen to some of the criticism on here as his line ups in the last couple of games have seemed more adventurous. And I also wonder if he also saw the video of Douglas circulating from Newcastle as he seems to have gone AWOL since! Seven points off the relegation zone and five off the play-offs, no idea what to expect from this season now! I really was worried we might get relegated but beating teams like Sheff Wed away is not what you expect from a team destined for relegation. Credit to Mick and the team today. I'm still not sold on Mick but you have to give credit where credit is due today. A few more results like this and perhaps this season could turn into something I never ever expected! If we keep the line ups more adventurous and start to get some momentum we might be higher in the league than Norwich before Xmas, now wouldn't that be nice! :-)

22

blueboy1981 added 17:23 - Nov 5 ........... a result like that is what makes happy Saturday evenings. Let's all enjoy.
24

DurhamTownFan added 17:24 - Nov 5 Please mM, don't come out with a load of abuse against your detractors. Let's do what you said last week and 'stick together'. Hopefully this shows the manager what you can do when you pick a more attacking line-up. Anyone there give any comments on our playing style? Any better today?
10

therein61 added 17:25 - Nov 5 Well a very welcome 3 points let's hope it's the start of something positive.
9

midastouch added 17:26 - Nov 5 My mate is a big Sheff Wed supporter, he went to the play-off final in the summer. He told me we would win today and I actually laughed at him! I also looked at the generous odds available on us to win at their place and even those didn't tempt me. I really should of listened to that wise old Owl!
4

OwainG1992 added 17:29 - Nov 5 Cracking to win away to Weds! Good to see Mick fielding an attacking team and we won! Happy days hopefully this can be a kick start we need.
7

grumpyoldman added 17:31 - Nov 5 Nice weekend we win scum lose. Please nobody get carried away with one result and start to insult those who disagree with you, let's all just savour the feeling.
8

StochesStotasBlewe added 17:33 - Nov 5 Great 3 points, can,t comment on the performance as wasn,t there, but the more attacking lineup & exclusion of Douglas suggest that this is the way foward. Must keep it up now. Saturday nights are much better after a good win. Red wine time.
8

Mick_Mills_Tache added 17:33 - Nov 5 It's a good result whichever way you look at it. Wednesday just don't seem to be clicking at the mo. Has Mick finally realised that Skuglas is never going to win us games? A better and more attacking line up with no Douglas in sight and 4 goals scored. Coincidence? I think not. Is this a turning point for us/Mick? Are we going to carry on trying to play a better brand of football? Time will tell. I'm still very much Mick out. Chambers seems to be doing his best at trying to prove us wrong, of which, of course, I'm more than happy for him to do. Always good to see the Budgies beaten at home too.

11

WhoisJimmyJuan added 17:33 - Nov 5 4 goals in 2 games is better too. Does indeed suggest a more attacking approach by MM. Shame Teddy was quiet. A couple of years ago 8 thought he was the most exciting academy product since Wickham. A ray of light today.
5

Mick_Mills_Tache added 17:34 - Nov 5 4 goals scored since Douglas' omission from the squad, that is.
12

Pencilpete added 17:35 - Nov 5 MM has always maintained when our better, more creative players were fully fit we would be a much better side, again today he went with a much more attacking line up and didn't just go for the draw as he may of done in the past. I just hope now that all the Mick haters will at least give him the benefit of the doubt for the time being, and get behind the team for the next few weeks.

11

HALLSJ added 17:36 - Nov 5 Only one game if we had beaten Rotherham we would now be just 3pts from 6th two winnable homes now need 6pts COYB
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MicksZzzTactics added 17:36 - Nov 5 WOW! The whimsical Madame Fortuna is certainly shinning all over Mick The Deluded Dinosaur here in his "Darkest Hour" at ITFC.... Thus pure LATE LUCK for the 2nd game running -- resulting in us having unequivocally "MUGGED" 3 points in total in these two contests -- as by my account the boyz who had significantly less ball possesion today also only mastered only 2 shots "on target"! Now this we have seen soooo many times before this year but for something refreshing NEWISH this time they actually had themselves 2 goals in this meager process????!!! The "glorious" winner HaHa Well it literally BOUNCED of a slightly marveled super duper Captain Calamity's head didn't it now? LOL So I guess a "well done lads" is in it' place from me too, and ohhh also a "Mick For President" of course!!! HaHa ..... As for the gaffer's upcoming always mind-boggling "spot-on" postgame analysis I fully expect to hear Mick someway imply and also read this in plenty of Pro-Mick point-fixated simpleton's upcoming comments here that everything with ITFC is, by and large, all of sudden NOW "Just Peachy" right??? :-) :-) :-) :-) Over & Out, and now let the factually awesome"like-I-give-a- flying-fu@k" downvoting commence...

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vanmunt added 17:37 - Nov 5 Good work to those that travelled up to Sheffield, good job stubborn mick for actually setting up for a win... Just saddened by bishop being anonymous again, come on bish step it up son.
6

hello66 added 17:40 - Nov 5 Mid table Finnish! Good day at the office ..... I fear there will be many poor ones to come ! Hope I'm wrong but playing this style it's mid table and lower gates ! My next game Boxing Day as its family day , unless his left !
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