Sheffield Wednesday 2 Tranmere Rovers 1: Battling Owls hang on as they try to cure hangover

Most inside Hillsborough hoped Terriers’ incredible fightback from 4-2 down to level in the sixth minute of stoppage time last month was a flash in the pan.

But it was deja-vu on Boxing Day when two stoppage-time goals by Walsall saw a 1-0 lead turned into a shock 2-1 defeat.

Two wins in 48 hours may have seen the Owls leapfrog back over their city neighbours Sheffield United into the second automatic promotion spot in League One but that hardly tells the full story from Hillsborough yesterday.

Fresh from a 2-0 win over Preston, the Owls were coasting 2-0 at home against Tranmere after a sublime first 45 minutes which should have brought about an avalanche of goals. Only a lack of clinical finishing from strike duo Chris O’Grady and Clinton Morrison prevented Wednesday from adding to two goals in the first six minutes from Reda Johnson and Chris Lines.

But after the interval, Wednesday never got going and the tension built inside Hillsborough – both on and off the pitch – with memories of their recent late horror shows clearly fresh in the mind.

Ian Goodison headed home an inevitable goal on 82 minutes as Tranmere sensed the home side’s psychological Achilles heel and it took an impressive save from Owls goalkeeper Nicky Weaver to keep out John Welsh’s rasping volley as the clock ticked down to ensure Gary Megson’s side held on for victory.

They escaped this time, but have to be prepared for future opponents trying to take advantage of their perceived vulnerability at conceding late goals.

Megson gave Morrison his first start since the 5-1 humiliation at Stevenage four months ago.

The Owls kicked off towards the Kop and were ahead after just two minutes. Ben Marshall’s initial free kick was charged down, but Chris Lines hoisted the loose ball back into the box and Reda Johnson powered home a header.

If Tranmere manager Les Parry’s pre-match team talk had been not to give away silly free kicks to allow Wednesday’s set piece dominance to come to the fore, it had fell on deaf ears.

It was 2-0 after six minutes and this time it was a two-fingered salute to critics who have labelled the Owls as long-ball merchants who have bullied their way to the upper reaches of League One.

O’Grady did superbly well to win the ball in the middle of the field, and a swift attacking move down the right with James Tavernier prompting, saw an unmarked Lines picked out to stroke the ball home.

Ben Marshall, on loan from Stoke City, should have made it 3-0 but volleyed into the side netting after Morrison’s cross picked him out at the back post. O’Grady and Morrison then let Rovers off the hook after the visitors were caught in possession and Rachubka was out of his goal, but the pair dallied and eventually O’Grady rolled his shot wide of the net.

Wednesday had dominated the first half and deserved a third goal. Next to try was Morrison, after Jose Semedo had won possession back in Tranmere’s half. But with just Rachubka to beat, the on-loan goalkeeper came out on top again to deflect Morrison’s effort over the crossbar.

O’Grady then was guilty of another glaring miss, firing straight at Rachubka when presented with a simple chance.

If Wednesday had bossed the first half, they started the second period sluggishly.

Rovers brought on John Welsh to sit in the middle of the park, and the experienced midfielder cut off the supply line to the home side’s front two. But Rachubka had to be alert to push Marshall’s 54th-minute effort wide, while a linesman’s flag ruled out Johnson’s second ‘goal’ for an apparent push.

Weaver was forced into his first serious save of the match on 69 minutes, parrying Lucas Atkins’s speculative volley.

The biggest cheer of the half from the 24,254 crowd came from the scoreflash revealing Carlisle had taken the lead for a third time against city rivals United.

Wednesday had failed to get going since the break and it was no surprise when the visitors finally netted on 82 minutes.

Danny Holmes’s cross fizzed in and substitute Goodison got his head onto the ball to flick it beyond Weaver’s grasp. It set up a torrid final 10 minutes, but Wednesday survived to climb into second place.

Sheffield Wednesday: Weaver,Tavernier (Jermaine Johnson 85), Batth, Llera, Reda Johnson, Otsemobor, Semedo, Lines, Marshall (Prutton 90), O’Grady, Morrison (Watt 71). Unused substitutes: Bywater, Lowe.

Tranmere Rovers: Rachubka, Buchanan, McChrystal, Taylor, Holmes, Labadie, Weir (McGurk 72), Bakayogo (Goodison 77), Akins, Baxter, Tiryaki (Welsh 46). Unused substitutes: Coughlin,Raven.

Referee: R Lewis (Shropshire).