Big Match Review - Sheff Wed 2 Peterborough 1

Championship

Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 Peterborough United

Saturday January 23, Hillsborough, (Att: 24,882)

Wednesday made it three wins out of three under new boss Alan Irvine as Marcus Tudgay's brace held off troubled Peterborough in their relegation six pointer.

The home side, boosted by their recent victories, started on the front foot and were unfortunate not to take the lead when Darren Potter's shot from outside the area was deflected onto the bar.

Posh responded immediately with Reuben Reid's header from a corner bouncing off the top off Lee Grant's bar in the Wednesday goal.

And it was from another corner that the Owls went close again - this time United keeper Joe Lewis tipping over Darren Purse's header from Michael Gray's flag kick.

However, from the following corner Irvine's men did take the lead - Tudgay flicking the ball in at the near post past Lewis at the end of the first half.

The same player almost doubled the home team's advantage at the start of the second period but saw his effort cleared off the line by a Posh defender before a shot from Gray was similarly thwarted.

He was to extend Wednesday's lead mid-way through the second-45 though. Another corner, this time finding the former-Derby man at the back post, to simply head past the hapless Lewis.

The Cambridgeshire outfit responded though, and only an expert save by Grant from Scott Griffith's low drive maintained the home team's lead.

However, Mark Cooper's side did pull one back with a quarter of an hour remaining. After Wednesday failed to clear the ball from their area the ball broke to Jack Livermore to sweep the ball home.

Despite Peterborough's late bombardment though, the Owls hung on to deliver victory for Irvine on his Hillsborough debut.

However, while Wednesday move up to 20th in the table, the result leaves Posh nine points from safety at the bottom and staring relegation in the face.