Sheffield Wednesday 2 Exeter City 1: A birthday present for Darren Moore as Owls hold nerve in tense win

This was a hard watch from a Sheffield Wednesday perspective, on a day when you felt they had to win to keep up the pressure on the top two of Plymouth Argyle and Ipswich Town.

Both Argyle and the Tractor Boys did their jobs with much more comfort, with Wednesday going it via the difficult - and tortuous route at times.

But at this time in proceedings, three points is, well, three points.

For Darren Moore, celebrating his 49th birthday, that was the present he wanted, if not in the way he wished.

They may have been beaten in their last four games against four top-six sides in Derby, Plymouth, Peterborough and Bolton, but Exeter were excellent for much of this game at a taut Hillsborough.

Wednesday deservedly went behind early in the second half when Josh Key put Exeter ahead. It looked decidedly dodgy for the shaken hosts. They found a way.

Goals from two old-stagers in Lee Gregory and Callum Paterson saved the day with the Owls now keeping their fingers crossed that Barnsley do them a favour against Ipswich on Tuesday.

Wednesday may have been unbeaten in their previous 17 league fixtures at Hillsborough since early September, but you would never have guessed it given first-half events with the fare on show being very poor - with Wednesdayites showing what they made of it at the interval by jeering the hosts' efforts.

Wednesday were ponderous and lacked wit, incision and belief and nothing like a side in top-two contention, with the saving grace being they weren’t behind at the end of it.

Plenty has been made of the absence of two Owls players in Josh Windass and George Byers, but their opponents were without a number of their key players including their three top-scorers in Sam Nombe, Jevani Brown and Jay Stansfield.

It was a good job as while Exeter were sharper, quicker and more convincing on the ball, they lacked a cutting edge up top.

It was a half perhaps solely memorable for an injury to referee Declan Bourne, who hobbled off and was replaced by fourth official Andy Haines after a fair delay to only add to home fans’ angst.

There was clear tension in the air, most notably when Marvin Johnson played a ball backwards under no pressure at one point. There was also on-pitch frustration with both Johnson and Will Vaulks berating team-mates for a lack of movement at a couple of interludes.

Wednesday were predictable and guileless, with no stardust from their magic man in Barry Bannan.

Exeter went close when a backheel from Jack Sparkes flew wide and got in some promising situations, with Josh Coley and Key causing issues with their movement and running.

The hosts’ sole moment of threat came just before the break when Will Aimson was hustled out of it and the ball found Vaulks, whose stinging shot was beaten away by Jamal Blackman.

A half-shout for a penalty arrived when Dominic Iorfa went down, while earlier, the Grecians saw their own appeals rebuffed after former loanee Cameron Dawson challenged Jake Caprice for a high ball.

The warnings from a dire first-half unfortunately were not heeded.

A polished move saw Coley play in the impressive Caprice on the right and his excellent cross found the unmarked Key who headed in from close range.

It could have got worse minutes later when more probing play from Caprice sent Coley away, but Dawson came out and made an important block.

At the other end, Wednesday soon conjured a chance, but what happened summed up their day.

Johnson’s inviting centre found its way into the path of Liam Palmer, but just when poise and composure was needed in front of goal, his horrible effort skewed wide.

It was becoming that sort of day for Wednesday. Just when they really needed something, they got it.

The Owls finally woke up with a quickly-taken free-kick. Bannan’s cross was a gem and Gregory’s glancing header was clinical and much-needed.

It was not the precursor to an onslaught with Key spurning a great chance to put the visitors back in front, heading wide from point-blank range after Caprice caused more damage on the right.

It had the makings of a big moment and so it proved with Wednesday relieving taking the lead when Paterson stuck out a leg to turn in Johnson’s off-target shot after fine work on the right, initially, from Adeniran.

The game remained in the balance until the end. Smith hit the post in stoppage-time after Bakinson’s initial shot was blocked.

Sheffield Wednesday: Dawson; Iorfa, Flint (Adeniran 57), Brown (Ihiekwe 71); Palmer, Vaulks, Bannan, Johnson; Paterson, Smith, Gregory (Bakinson 83). Substitutes unused: Stockdale, Dele-Bashiru, Shipston, Durrant.

Exeter City: Blackman; Sweeney, Aimson (Grounds 81), Hartridge; Chauke; Caprice, Kite, Collins (White 88), Sparkes (Borges 81); Key, Coley (Cox 70). Substitutes unused: Woods, Harper.

Referee: D Bourne.

Attendance: 26,046