Wagner’s wings clipped by Owls

DAVID WAGNER was determined to be diplomatic, but at the end of a frustrating afternoon, his true feelings were encapsulated in one sentence.

‘I really wish we had got the victory,’ said Huddersfield’s manager. ‘If one team deserved it, it was my team. I’m not sure they will be able to play as deep as they did. I’m not sure how their crowd would react.’

His wish was for attacking football to get its reward. Play-off semifinals are notoriously tight and tense affairs but Sheffield Wednesday took caution to a new extreme, showing no appetite for going forward. Wagner, arms folded on the touchline, couldn’t n’t believe it.

Carlos Carvalhal, , his opposite number, made no apology but if Wednesday are going to celebrate their 150th anniversary with a return to thee Premier League ue they will have to show infinitely more endeavour than theyhey did here.

So much was riding on this and, perhaps, it should have been expected that adventure was suppressed by tension and an absolute focus that no mistakes would be made ahead of Wednesday’s second leg at Hillsborough.

What followed was a ferociously competitive derby, filled with firm challenges and no time for midfielders to get their feet on the ball, but that meant the contest produced few meaningful opportunities for goals. Carvalhal rigidly set his team up with two banks of four guarding goalkeeper Keiren Westwood with their lives. It said everything that their only shot was Barry Bannan’s in the 84th minute. Huddersfield, by contrast, never stopped looking to force a way through. The front three of Nahki Wells, Elias Kachunga and Chelsea loane Izzy Brown all got sights of goal but never enough clarity to inflict maximum damage. The best opening fell to Brown in the 27th minute but, after good work by Kachunga, he hit the bar. A similar story followed after the interval and Wells, lively throughout, thought he had struck gold with one impudent moment but his 25-yard chip was tipped over by Westwood, who had to hastily scurry back to avert the danger.

For the third time this season, Wednesday kept a clean sheet against Huddersfield, who were given thunderous support all afternoon.

‘The result is absolutely OK,’ Wagner insisted. ‘It is game on, everything is prepared for another cracker.

‘We have a big chance after this performance. We have trust and belief in what we are doing.’

Carvalhal was as guarded with his words as his team were with possession. The Portuguese did, however, recognise that this stalemate offered no guarantees of a trip to Wembley.

‘Football is not just about attack,’ he said. ‘We came here to make sure the second game was alive. Now when we will play at home, we must be ready for a final.’