MX23RW : Wednesday, January 23 21:26:28
Jan 19, 2019 at 3pm UK at ​Hillsborough Stadium (Sheffield)
Attendance: 22,323
Sheff WedsSheffield Wednesday
1-0
WiganWigan Athletic
Fletcher (62')
FT(HT: 0-0)

Agnew lauds match-winner Fletcher as Wednesday get back to winning ways

Agnew lauds match-winner Fletcher as Wednesday get back to winning ways
© Reuters
The Scotland international netted the only goal of the game in fine fashion midway through the second half.

Sheffield Wednesday striker Steven Fletcher earned the praise of both managers after firing the Owls to victory over Wigan with a superb winner at Hillsborough.

The Scotland international drilled home from 25 yards in the 62nd minute to earn Wednesday their first win in four Championship matches.

Fletcher's fine finish was not his only contribution to the triumph, with Wednesday's caretaker manager Steve Agnew claiming the Wigan centre-backs would not have had a much tougher 90 minutes all season.

Wigan boss Paul Cook also acknowledged Fletcher's ability following a defeat which left his side just six points above the relegation zone.

Agnew said: "I thought in the second half we took the game to them. Fletcher got a well-deserved goal – he was a handful all afternoon.

"The combination play between Adam Reach and Barry Bannan, to get the ball to Fletch, started a terrific move and finished off nicely by Fletch.

"I spoke to him yesterday –  it's almost his third game in a week – and I said, 'How do you feel?' He said, 'I feel great'. There were no knocks, no tightness and that's how he performed.

"He looked fresh, he looked lively, he won almost every header and he deserved his goal.

"If you ask their two centre-backs, that was probably one of the hardest games they've played this season."

Wednesday dominated the majority of the contest with Marco Matias testing visiting goalkeeper Jamie Jones early on.

Bannan then threaded the ball to Fletcher and on the turn the former Wolves and Sunderland forward forced another good save from Jones, who dived low to his right to turn the ball behind.

The deadlock was finally broken just after the hour when Fletcher picked up the ball just inside Wigan's half, advanced and, as the Latics defence failed to close him down, crashed a shot into the bottom corner.

In the dying minutes, Owls looked to double their advantage but Jones produced further saves to deny George Boyd and substitute Atdhe Nuhiu.

Agnew added: "I enjoyed the game. I thought from the start we were on the front foot and we created chances.

"Reach got through – I'm not sure if it was a penalty or not – and Fletcher overran one just before half-time.

"If I have a criticism, I would've liked to see a second goal but we'll take the three points."

Wigan came into the game on the back of an impressive 3-0 win over Aston Villa but they failed to reach those heights at Hillsborough and manger Cook conceded Wednesday were deserved winners in the end.

He said: "I think disappointing would be a fair reflection. I think first half we had our moments.

"To be fair, Sheffield Wednesday started the game really well and I thought we grew into the game.

"Second half, Sheffield Wednesday were comfortably the better team. They dominated the game and they created chances. We looked very limp, not anywhere near where we did last week.

"The game looked like it might be a 1-0 from an early stage. It probably wasn't the best football spectacle in the world, it was quite stop-start.

"Sheffield Wednesday got on top second half. They created chances, they created good situations and for me they're deserved winners. We go away very disappointed."

Cook, whose side have won just once away from home in the league this season, added: "Great credit to the away fans who travelled across. They supported us so loyally and well, but the away form is what it is, there's nothing we can do about that.

"We must go home, train hard and see where it goes."

Cook also refused to point the finger at his team for failing to stop Wednesday's match winner, saying: "Steven Fletcher is just a good player. If you look back at his career, he's done quite well so I'm not going to be critical of my players."


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Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Leeds UnitedLeeds28166647301754
2Norwich CityNorwich28158552361653
3West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom28148657352250
4Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd28155846291750
5Middlesbrough281211531201147
6Derby CountyDerby2813784035546
7Bristol City2812883529644
8Hull City28117104135640
9Swansea CitySwansea28117103732540
10Blackburn RoversBlackburn28101083741-440
11Birmingham CityBirmingham2891274033739
12Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest2891273932739
13Aston Villa2891275145639
14Queens Park RangersQPR28116113439-539
15Stoke CityStoke2891183335-238
16Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds2898113345-1235
17Brentford28810104339434
18Preston North EndPreston2889114345-233
19Millwall2878133444-1029
20Wigan AthleticWigan2885152841-1329
21Rotherham UnitedRotherham28510132746-1925
22Reading2858153143-1223
23Bolton WanderersBolton2857161842-2422
24Ipswich TownIpswich2839162248-2618

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