Sheffield Wednesday boosted their First Division survival hopes with a superb
five-goal demolition of hapless Coventry at Hillsborough tonight.
Wednesday boss Chris Turner admitted in his programme notes that his side
"need goals as quickly as possible" after failing to create many clear-cut
chances during the 1-0 defeat by Preston on Saturday.
But if Wednesday did not show enough quality in the final third against Craig
Brown's side, they more than made up for it tonight.
Michael Reddy scored the only goal of the first half before Shefki Kuqi
doubled their advantage early in the second half.
Julian Joachim reduced the deficit almost immediately but Wednesday scored
three goals in 10 second-half minutes.
Paul McLaren's long-range effort made it 3-1 before on-loan striker Lee
Bradbury and Kuqi completed the scoring as Wednesday moved off the bottom.
Wednesday looked sharp from the outset and created an opportunity in the first
minute.
Kuqi held off two defenders and Reddy fired in a shot which was well saved by
Fabien Debec.
Bradbury threatened two minutes later but he was unable to clear the
goalkeeper with his attempted lob.
However, Wednesday were eventually rewarded for their early pressure in the
eighth minute when Reddy, whose pace was already causing problems for City,
coolly volleyed home after McLaren's header looped off Calum Davenport into his
path.
Brian Barry-Murphy created the next opening when he surged into the penalty
area, but Kuqi's diving header went wide.
Coventry looked out of sorts for the first 15 minutes but on-loan Blackburn
striker Matt Jansen almost provided a moment of inspiration when he fired in a
shot which was only just stopped by Wednesday goalkeeper Paul Evans.
Coventry were on top when the referee blew for half-time, but despite a couple
of probing runs by Richie Partridge they never looked like equalising before the
break.
Joachim looked sharper at the start of the second half and almost forced
himself through during the opening exchanges.
However, Turner's side swept forward in the 52nd minute to score a superb
second.
Winger Alan Quinn carried the ball for 60 yards before releasing McLaren,
whose first-time cross was headed home by Kuqi.
The Wednesday fans were still cheering when they conceded a soft goal just two
minutes later. The ball should have been cleared but Joachim stole in to drill
the ball into the bottom corner.
But the Hillsborough faithful almost raised the roof after Wednesday scored
two goals in the space of four minutes.
The industrious McLaren restored their two-goal advantage with an unstoppable
30-yard strike in the 59th minute.
And the game was effectively over when Wednesday scored a well-worked fourth.
Barry-Murphy's clever free-kick was fired goalwards by Quinn and Bradbury dived
in to head home after the ball was parried.
City conceded a fifth in the 69th minute. Bradbury played the ball inside and
Kuqi fired the ball under Debec, who should have done better.
Teams
Sheff Wed: Evans, Westwood (Haslam 79), Smith, Monk,
Barry-Murphy, Powell, McLaren, Quinn (Knight 75), Reddy,
Bradbury (Owusu 79), Kuqi.
LSubs Not Used: Pressman, Maddix.
Goals: Reddy 8, Kuqi 52, McLaren 60, Bradbury 63, Kuqi 69.
Coventry: Debec, Caldwell, Konjic, Davenport,
Pead (McSheffrey 65), Eustace, Whing, Chippo, Partridge,
Jansen (Holdsworth 65), Joachim.
Subs Not Used: Montgomery, Shaw, Engonga.
Booked: Whing.
Goals: Joachim 54.
Att: 19,536
Ref: M Warren (W Midlands).
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