Town finally grabbed their first away win of the season as Sheffield Wednesday were defeated 2-1 at Hillsborough. Former Owl Alan Quinn lashed in the first, before Marcus Tudgay equalised. In the second half Quinn turned provider, nodding the ball down to Alan Lee, who stabbed in the winner.

New signings Stephen Bywater and David Norris went straight into the starting line-up, the midfielder playing on the right flank. Dan Harding continued at left-back and Tommy Miller in central midfield, with Velice Sumulikoski on the bench. Pablo Couñago and Jon Walters started up front.

On a pitch which was cutting up badly from the start, the Blues, in their black away kit, went in front with the game's first serious attack. Jon Walters laid a ball played forward back from the corner of the left-side of the penalty area and Alan Quinn, who started his career at Hillsborough, hammered a shot into the top corner of Lee Grant's goal.

It was a superb strike and was the perfect response to the smattering of boos aimed in his direction by his old fans. The Irishman might have scored again five minutes later when he was sent away after the ball struck referee Colin Webster. The midfielder looked set to score as he broke into the area but fluffed his shot at the last as a defender put on the pressure.

The home side got back on terms in the 11th minute. Jermaine Johnson, who had a trial with the Blues back in 2001, broke away on the right, possibly from an offside position, and hit the top of the bar with a powerful strike.

Stephen Bywater hadn't appeared to get a touch but the linesman gave a corner from which the ball fell to Graham Kavanagh on the edge of the box, Alex Bruce blocking his effort. Unfortunately for Town, the loose ball fell to Marcus Tugay, whose shot flew through a crowd of players and past the unsighted Bywater.

Town almost hit back within three minutes, Owen Garvan finding Pablo Couñago on the edge of the area, but the Spaniard shooting wide.

On 20 Quinn sent in a cross from the left to the far post and Norris scrambled the ball wide.

Town had generally had the better of the first half hour and on 33 made a quick break forward, Norris finding Quinn. The ex-Owl crossed from the right but the ball was put out for a corner.

Soon after, Burton O'Brien crossed from the left and Tudgay headed straight at Bywater.

Wednesday were probably on top during the closing stages as the increasingly awful condition of the pitch made quality football difficult and the match degenerated into a scrappy midfield affair with neither side making any headway inside the opposition's penalty area.

Town had started very brightly and for once had scored an early away goal, rather than conceding one. As the half had progressed, Wednesday had come more into it, but the Blues had still created more in the way of chances over the course of the 45 minutes.

David Norris struck the first shot of the second half but the ball deflected through to Grant. The Wednesday keeper was forced into another early save by David Wright, but the former Derby man saved well at his near post.

Wednesday continued to threaten very little as the game carried on in much the manner that the first half had ended. Town were similarly lacking in any bite up front with Couñago and Walters unable to keep the ball in dangerous areas.

Just after the hour, Graham Kavanagh picked up the game's first yellow card for a cynical foul on Norris as he broke into the Wednesday half.

Quinn shot wide, before Alan Lee replaced Couñago, who had failed to shine in conditions which didn't really suit his touch-play.

The switch changed the game with Lee and Walters chasing balls into the channels and putting pressure on the home side. Passing football had become harder and harder to play with mistakes due to poor bounces common.

Grant saved easily from Walters on 65, but five minutes later the Blues went back in front. A corner was cleared out to the left, Alex Bruce picking up the loose ball. The centre-half found himself space and sent in a cross to the far post which Quinn nodded back into the box and Lee stabbed past Grant and into the net, right in front of the Town support.

Two minutes later, Town should have had a penalty. Grant failed to claim the ball on the edge of the area, Norris showing the kind of persistence that persuaded Jim Magilton to sign him to win the ball from he keeper.

The midfielder seemed destined to score a debut goal until Grant hauled him back. Even so, the former Plymouth man got in a strike at goal, but the ball deflected over. The Town players surrounded the referee but to no avail and the linesman failed to flag, both assistant officials having afternoons to forget.

O'Brien's shot was saved by Bywater, prior to Town's new Macedonian signing Velice Sumulikoski replacing Owen Garvan in central midfield.

By now the Blues were well on top and a third goal looked likely. On 79 Alan Lee saw a shot deflect wide.

Tommy Spurr lashed well over from the edge of the area as the game entered its final six minutes, then Danny Haynes took over from Alan Quinn, the recent signing from Sheffield United receiving a standing ovation from his new supporters.

Norris again thought he had won a penalty in the first minute of time added on when he was hauled back, but the linesman had flagged for an offside.

The midfielder was again at the heart of the action as the three minutes of additional time came to a close, sending Danny Haynes away on goal. The England U19 international burst into the area, but Richard Hinds got in a tackle at the crucial moment.

Soon after, the final whistle was greeted with wild celebrations both on and off the pitch, the Blues having completed their first away win since the 2-0 victory at Luton Town last March.

The squad assembled below the supporters and applauded them with manager Jim Magilton joining them on the pitch.

Not a classic display of passing football by any means, but that was impossible given the conditions, but a ground-out away win of the type that need to be a regular occurrence if the season is going to end in promotion.

There were some signs that the side hadn't played together before, the occasional moment of hesitation at the back, but overall the new men settled quickly.

Norris's influence increased as the game went along and his breaking into the area from midfield was particularly effective. The box-to-box running promised by Jim Magilton was also very much in evidence.

Bywater handled competently throughout and caught everything in the air when he wasn't shoved out of the way by Wednesday attackers. One kick screwed out for a throw, but that owed more to the surface than anything else.

Sumulikoski showed some clever touches and made one excellent pass in his time on the field, as well and looked more willing to break forward than had been suggested by Macedonian fans.

Quinn will be particularly pleased with his performance against his old club, scoring the stunning first and setting up the second. The Irishman, like Norris, was also involved at both ends and defensively the Town midfield now looks far more effectual than it did at the start of the window.

The away hoodoo is finally broke after 18 games, hopefully there will now be plenty more similar victories between now and the end of the season.

Town: Bywater, Wright, Harding, De Vos, Bruce, Garvan (Sumulikoski 76), Miller, Norris, Quinn (Haynes 84), Walters, Couñago (Lee 64). Unused: Colgan, Naylor.

Photo: Action Images

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