Depleted Norwich City’s flat performance was punished by a clinical Sheffield Wednesday side as they lost 2-0 at Hillsborough.
First half goals from Josh Windass and Dominic Iorfa made it consecutive defeats for the Canaries after Saturday's late loss to Cardiff, as a tricky autumn gets ever tougher for Johannes Hoff Thorup and his players.
A hole in the net delayed kick-off briefly, and it was another few minutes before the teams really got going. When it sprung into life it was potently, however, Kellen Fisher ending a dynamic away attack by testing Owls goalkeeper James Beadle from a tight angle.
Soon it was the hosts on the hunt, though, and Ike Ugbo should have opened the scoring. Wednesday winger Windass found him two yards out with a cross, but the striker somehow contrived to miss the target with his header.
He soon made up for it though, the pair reversing roles to devastating effect. Ugbo played a simple long ball into Windass’ path, and the son of former striker Dean dispatched with a finish his dad would have been proud of.
Norwich responded with half-chances for Kaide Gordon and Borja Sainz, but the former was reluctant to shoot with his weaker right foot and the latter failed to replicate his recent goal of the season contenders.
Svante Ingelsson had a better chance when he strode forward and shot from the edge of the box, looking likely to make it 2-0 when he wound up for a shot before scuffing it and seeing George Long collect.
But the City stopper wasn’t as comfortable 13 minutes later, despite a header from Iorfa that meant he probably should have been. The defender met Shea Charles’ free-kick with little power and straight at the 31-year-old, watching on in delight as it squirmed past him to double the deficit.
Birthday boy Long atoned for his error in part shortly thereafter with a good save to deny Ugbo, but much of the damage had already been done.
It was hard to see a way back for the visitors going into half time, with few options for Thorup to choose from in his squad and Wednesday dominant in almost every facet of the game.
That was borne out in the lack of substitutions made at the break, and also in the pattern that continued to repeat early in the second period. Thorup’s men were slow on the ball and sterile in attack, and it took until the 60th minute to fashion even a hint of an opportunity.
When it came it wasn’t a big one, Oscar Schwartau’s header under pressure emblematic of the sort of evening his team were having. Yan Valery went closer at the other end when he stretched to meet Marvin Johnson’s cross, but he couldn’t redirect it goalward. Johnson took aim himself minutes later, Long equal to his drive from the corner of the box.
From there the holding pattern resumed, with any semblance of jeopardy slowly seeping out of Sheffield like air from a balloon. Sainz briefly gave hope to the away fans with his header from close range, but within seconds it was seen to by the offside flag.
Danny Rohl’s charges were happy to sit back and collect a valuable three points after their damaging defeat to Watford on Saturday, while City’s misery reached new heights as they made it five games without a win.
They’ll hope to make up for it when Bristol City visit Carrow Road in four days’ time, but facing an injury list that never seems to stop growing and with early momentum now entirely drained, the Robins may well smell blood.
There, of course, was mitigation, but this loss was the moment at which patience in the new project was tested to the maximum.
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY:
Substitutes:
47. Charles (GK)
2. Palmer
9. Lowe
13. Paterson (on for Johnson, 66)
14. Valentin (on for Ingelsson, 77)
24. Smith (on for Ugbo, 77)
33. Otegbayo (on for Iorfa, 57)
41. Gassama (on for Windass, 66)
45. Musaba
Manager: Danny Rohl
Bookings:
Goals: Windass (12), Iorfa (34)
NORWICH CITY:
Substitutes:
37. Mair (GK)
3. Stacey
5. Hanley
14. Chrisene
16. Fassnacht (on for Fisher, 73)
18. Forson (on for Gordon, 58)
42. Springett
44. Myles
47. Mahovo
Head Coach: Johannes Hoff Thorup
Bookings:
Goals:
KEY MOMENTS
6 - Crnac plays a ball round the corner for Fisher, who tests Beadle from a tight angle.
10 - Windass works some room to cross and finds Ugbo two yards out, but he somehow contrives to miss with his header.
12 - GOAL SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY (Windass): The duo reverse roles and this time it works wonders for the home side, Ugbo chipping a ball in behind that Windass strides onto and fires past Long.
14 - City win the ball high up and Crnac plays the ball through to Gordon, but he's reluctant to shoot with his right foot and eventually does to little effect.
20 - Sainz let's fly from distance and fails to replicate his previous impressive strikes.
21 - Svante Ingelsson drives halfway up the pitch and shoots from the edge of the box, but his effort is tame.
34 - GOAL SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY (Iorfa): Charles' free-kick is headed home by Iorfa via Long's suspect goalkeeping.
36 - The home side break quickly and Ugbo curls towards the far corner, forcing a good save from Long.
Half time: Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 Norwich City
61 - Valery stretches to reach Johnson's whipped cross, but can't redirect it on target.
64 - Johnson takes aim from the corner of the area and Long dives to turn his shot behind.
74 - Gassama's half-volley bobbles well wide.
76 - Doyle's low shot rebounds to Fassnacht and then Sainz, who's denied by the offside flag after he heads home from close range.
78 - Paterson fails in his attempts to score an overhead kick.
Full time: Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 Norwich City
PLAYER RATINGS
Long 4, Fisher 7, Duffy 6, Cordoba 5, Doyle 5, Sorensen 4, Marcondes 5, Schwartau 5, Gordon 5, Sainz 5, Crnac 5. Subs: Forson 5, Fassnacht 5.
MATCH STATISTICS
Possession: 29pc-71pc
Shots: 12-5
On target: 5-3
Corners: 2-5
Fouls: 5-13
Added time: 1 min/6 mins
Attendance: 22,731
Referee: Stephen Martin
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