Sheffield Wednesday 0-2 Cardiff City – Championship

SWFCCardiff

On Saturday 16th March 2013, I went to Hillsborough to spend the day with the Sheffield Wednesday media team for their game against Cardiff City.

Having spent three matchdays with the media at Hillsborough already this season, I was very kindly invited back for the game against league leaders Cardiff City. After shadowing and then attempting a runnining report on my first two visits, my report for the Bristol City game was published on the Owls’ official website. I was delighted to hear that this would be the case again today with my match report published on swfc.co.uk.

This also meant that it would be a bit of a milestone day for me as it was the first time that I would have two articles published in a single day. Alongside my match report on Wednesday’s website, an article of mine was also published in Notts County’s matchday programme for their game against Scunthorpe United which was very exciting.

Upon arrival, I spotted the Cardiff City team coach pull up and so I stuck around to watch the likes of Malky Mackay and Craig Bellamy make their way in to the ground as well as managing to get photos with Peter Whittingham and Fraizer Campbell. I then collected my media pass and spent some time in the press room before heading up to the box in the South Stand ready to write my report.

This was a very important game for both sides’ respective seasons. Sheffield Wednesday were looking to continue the good form that saw them defeat promotion pushers Leicester City last week and keep their distance from the bottom three. Meanwhile, table toppers Cardiff were looking to move further ahead at the summit and end a run of three games without victory.

There were few clear cut chances for either side for the majority of the opening 45 minutes, but it was the Cardiff broke the deadlock on the stroke of half time courtesy of deflected Don Cowie strike. Matthew Connolly’s 65th minute header then seemingly put the game to bed and despite some late pressure from the Owls, including a Miguel Llera free kick that forced a stunning fingertip save from the goalkeeper, it was the Welsh side that took all 3 points.

To read my FULL match report, visit the official website: LINK

After the game, I was allowed to go and watch the post match press conferences. Owls boss Dave Jones was first to face the press and he blamed his sides “naivety” for the defeat after claiming that there was very little between the two teams.

Wednesday midfielder Danny Pugh then gave his view on what called a “disappointing result” before finally Malky Mackay answered a few questions. The Scotsman said that was delighted with Cardiff’s “consistency” to remain at the top for such a long period but promised that he wasn’t getting ahead of himself when it came to the possibility of promotion to the top flight.

It was another great experience for me to spend the day with the Wednesday media team and to have my report published on the official site again was very pleasing. As always, a massive thank you to everyone at the club and particularly Trevor Braithwait for inviting me and giving me advice throughout the game.

Sheffield Wednesday 0–2 Cardiff City

Cowie ’45, Connolly ’65

Kirkland, Buxton, R Johnson, Gardner, Llera, Antonio (Maguire ’77), Helan (J Johnson ’68), Pugh (Madine ’56), Lee , Prutton, Lita

Marshall, Taylor, Connolly, Barnett, Nugent, Whittingham, Cowie, Gunnarsson, Helguson (Gestede ’87), Campbell, Bellamy (Smith ’81)

Attendance: 24,191