Another tough match, another excellent performance. The Latics just seem to get better by the game. Finally, the fans can have hope and optimism after a nightmarish start to the fixture list had us pitted against 2 former Division 1 sides and promotion favourites.
Had the Latics still got last seasons side, then the first 2 games would've been a real test and might have given an indication of how far they might go this time around. Instead, this turned out to be a test of a different kind. It asked for guts, determination, passion and spirit and from 1 to 10, the side gave an excellent account. Not surprisingly it was just Micheal Clegg, returning to the side after being in exile last season, that put in a sceptical performance. But to highlight the minus points would be unjust though. After this sterling performance, anything negative that might be levelled pales into significance - even Danny Hall's late red card.
Despite apprehension over this fixture it was clear from the off that Dowie had the team geared up to go for the jugular. After all, if Wednesday are going to challenge for the title, why should they do it at our expense and why should they have it easy just because they're at home. The pressure heaped on Chris Turner and his men must be a worry, doing nothing more than fuelling expectations. That often leads to a big weight hanging around a sides neck and the Latics have done well by upsetting the Owls applecart. It is nice to upset the applecart and leave Wednesday fans wondering about "Fortress Hillsborough."
Fear wasn't a word in the visiting players vocab come 3pm though. Dowie had clearly asked this side to stand up and be counted and that is clearly what they did. Danny Hall was magnificent, whilst Owls legend John Sheridan gave a passing masterclass in the first half. Almost everything came through him and most of it was absolute class. It gave the visitors an edge over their rivals throughout the game.
Wednesday on the other hand did have a major weapon over the Latics too. Pace was the key and several times visiting fans were left clinging to their seats. Kuqi, Owusu, Cooke and Evans all worked the ball forward in minimal time on the break and it was this that Dowie's men found difficult to live with. Last-ditch defending became the word at times.
One thing the Latics couldn't do though was wait to be picked off by Wednesday. Despite the hosts constantly hitting us on the break, it didn't stop the Latics from venturing forward with some excellent creative football. And it was this which contributed to a game that had everything; it was end-to-end, had penalty claims for both sides, red cards, Wednesday rattled the woodwork, Pogi made some great saves, both teams defended superbly and it really was a 2-fingers to anyone who harps on about the Premiership.
With this no-fear approach, the Latics made most of the early running and Sheridan Snr was especially enjoying his elevated legendary status from the home side. That didn't stop him though and in a way, it inspired him further to leave another lasting impression on Wednesday fans. And that only took hi 6 minutes!
It was Shez seniors ball to the edge of the box that Curier flicked on for John Eyre to chase. Running into the box, Eyre looked like having the better of his man before a deliberate shunt left him pole-axed in the box. There was no doubt, the obstruction was blatant and unquestionable but nobody question who would be taking the penalty - John Sheridan stepped up to score into the Wednesday end. 1-0.
As if the Owls hadn't learnt a lesson already, they then gifted Sheridan another chance to score minutes later after a clumsy tackle outside the box. Being a well-known free-kick specialist, Owls fans will have been worried and rightly so - Shez sent his effort narrowly over the bar.
It took until the 19th minute before Wednesday settled and produced their first flash of brilliance. The Latics had gifted Cooke far too much room on the right side and Cooke exploited it with a blistering run. Cutting into the box, the former Man City winger crossed to the back post and Kuqi headed at goal from 8 yards. Pogi looked to have it covered, but Owusu arrived from nowhere to get a touch onto it and force a brilliant re-action save from the Aussie.
As the game approached the half hour mark, the Latics started to get pushed back and on 28, a mistake from Haining brought Wednesday level. A long ball forward for lively Kuqi to chase appeared to be under Haining's control as the Owls striker closed in. However, instead of hooking the ball away Haining hesitated and allowed the ball to bounce. As it did, it flew up awkwardly leaving him slightly dis-orientated and gifting Kuqi the chance to steal in and slot into the far corner past Pogi. 1-1.
Now the Latics had to weather the storm. Immediately after the goal, a Latics attack broke down and on the counter Kuqi shot narrowly wide. A minute later, Wednesday's Barry-Murphy had time and space to try a 25yd drive but Pogi got down to his left to superbly palm the ball away.
On 33, the Latics got their first chance for a while as Curier neatly flicked on Pogi's kick and John Eyre, playing upfront in place of Vernon, fired early at goal. Tidman had to be alert to the low drive and he saved well.
After another good period for Dowie's men, which admittedly saw few chances but several corners, the pendulum swung back the other way. On 43, the Owls broke at the Latics again and Kuqi once again got the better of Haining. His ball into the box looked to be landing at the far post for Owusu but Clegg, who had been poor so far, excellently got enough on it to clear from the goalmouth.
Hanging on for half-time, the Latics rear-guard found itself breached again just 60 seconds later. Ndiwa looked flattened as Evans sprinted into space but play continued. The left-winger fired a sweet ball into the box and as the Latics defence froze to leave Pogi exposed, Cooke ran through for the simplest of tap-ins. Fortunately though, he fired it straight into Pogi's arms. A real let off for the Latics.
Despite the Latics enjoying much more of the possession in the 1st half, that was all to change in the 2nd as Wednesday came out of the traps more lively. Early on, the visitors defence found itself pinned in very deep and on 50, Evans had a chance from the edge of the box. He fired through a crowd but saw his shot hit the inside of the post and run straight through the Latics goalmouth. However, after unsuccessful penalty shouts at the other end when O'Halloran appeared fouled, the Latics backline caved in again.
The half was just 8 minutes old when Curier lost the ball upfront and this led to another dangerous counter attack. Quinn found Cooke in far too much space on the right and his pin-point cross allowed Kuqi to plant a firm header past Pogi for his and Wednesday 2nd goal. It was a simple counter against a stretched defence - something which the Latics were experts at last season but haven't the pace to execute this season. 1-2.
Even though it was now a mammoth task to get any kind of result, Wednesday appeared to have an obvious inability to shut the game down or at least taking the sting out of it and that suited Dowie's men. It enabled space for the visitors to resurrect that passing game-plan which had worked already in the 1st half. Indeed, just 3 minutes later it was a neat move that levelled things again.
With 56 on the clock, Clegg's ball to the edge of the box was helped on by Eyre. Sending Curier in past his man, the Latics striker had just Tidman to beat and with impressive composure, the Frenchman had no difficulty in slotting past the Owls keeper into the far corner. 2-2.
This had become an end-to-end thriller now which was being played in very good spirits. Chances started to become few and far between as each side pushed forward but kept hitting firm defences. Indeed on 69, Ndiwa epitomised this when tracked hat-trick chasing Kuqi to block his near post header. Dowie knew that he needed to tighten up the Latics defence as it had been exploited time and time again, therefore on 70 he swapped the lively O'Halloran for Holden.
Coming back from injury, Holden was clearly asked to tighten up the right back position and only venture forward with caution. Ironically though, that was only applied after his 1st touch which was to head Clegg's back-post cross for goal. Good defending again did enough to put him off though as Holden couldn't get enough on it to steer on target.
As the hosts pushed for a winner, the Owls shouted for 2 penalties in the closing stages when on 74, Owusu hit the deck ages after a challenge. Referee Beeby correctly waved away appeals however on 85, the biggest talking point of the match was to occur in a final twist to the tale.
A neat move by the Owls sent Kuqi through and appeared from a distance as though he had the better of Danny Hall. In the tussle for supremacy Kuqi was flattened leaving Latics hearts in Latics mouths. Referee Beeby ran over and booked Kuqi for diving - this being his 2nd caution and thus he was sent off. From the visiting end, it looked like Kuqi would've gone down in that fashion had it been a foul or a dive and therefore Latics fans were more than content to go with the narrow decision given.
Having survived that scare, it would have been ironic if the Latics had stolen the points and on 86, Murray's fizzing effort almost sealed them but instead flew marginally wide. Then seconds later, it was his ball that sent Eyre through on goal, but the bounce made any shot difficult. Stretching for it, Eyre's lob forced a nervous Tidman to keep a close eye on the ball but it sailed tamely over the bar.
The referee's final act of the game was to send off impressive Danny Hall. To be honest, Beeby hadn't been bad in comparison to some truly awful officials we've seen but it takes a bold referee to send off a man for diving (albeit via a 2nd yellow). However, to give Hall a 2nd yellow for a tangle of legs in a challenge is frustrating. Even Owls boss Chris Turner admitted that Hall was unlucky. It makes you wonder whether these refs want to keep 22 players on the pitch at times; this one clearly didn't. It seems that only the best referees do, but they are few and far between.
To sum up an enthralling match which was played in superb spirits, the Dowie's men had done the noisy travelling support proud. Nothing more could have been asked and a point was more than most Latics fans could have dreamed of - myself included. Gaining a draw at Hillsborough speaks volumes about the possibilities but the truth is, nothing but a win will do next Saturday. Now, the side has a measure of what they can do, that might not be too much of an ask. If the Latics can keep it's spirits up, it's determination raw and it's fight clean, then soon we will do some damage in this division. It's just a good job it's "only" a Lancashire derby coming up then eh?!?! Crikey, somebody sedate mini-Shez for goodness sake!