JOSH SPICE
Legend dad Dean sent Windass Jr to work on a building site and now he’s laying foundation of Owls’ safety push
DOMINIC IORFA has backed reluctant hodcarrier Josh Windass to lift Wednesday out of the red.
Windass – who was once sent to work on a building site by dad Dean – scored the vital first goal as the Owls wiped three points off the minus-12 tally they began with.
Former Hull City and Bradford legend Dean wanted to sharpen Josh’s desire to reach the top, and the reward may come this season, if the striker’s goals can help his side overcome a points deduction imposed for breaking profit rules.
“You can see what he’s all about,” said defender Iorfa about Windass Jr, who moved from crisis-club Wigan.
“He’s got a lot of pace and the way he took his goal was a great finish.
“He didn’t even see it go in, because he got clattered, but it was a great finish and that’s what Josh brings to the team.
“He’s also good when the ball comes into his feet. He uses his pace to get in behind and he works really hard. He’s going to be good for us.”
Wednesday are appealing against their punishment, but a more likely route to safety this season is for Windass and Jordan Rhodes – who made it 2-0 – to build on the promise they showed against listless Cardiff City.
Owls boss Garry Monk is using his players’ grievance as fuel to burn through that negative points tally as quickly as possible.
After Monk and his players had formed a tight circle at the end, the impressive Iorfa added: “The manager said that the feeling we all had to work for each other is how it’s got to be for us every week. We have got off to a great start and now we need to kick on. You can see everyone was shattered after the game, but that’s what we need to be like every week.
“The starting 11 have to leave everything out there and the subs who come on have to make an impact.
“It was a great team effort. No one is going to get carried away because it’s only the first game. But it was important to get off to a good start and we’ve done that.”
The Bluebirds gave debuts to Premier League loanees Sheyi Ojo and Jordi Osei-Tutu, but they failed to add much stardust to their team-mates’ sweat and toil.
Manager Neil Harris said: “We need to be more fluent as a team. There were not enough ideas or creativity.” CARDIFF: Smithies 6, Osei-Tutu 6, Morrison 5, Nelson 5, Bennett 5, Vaulks 5, Ralls 5 (Glatzel 58, 4), Bacuna 5, Ojo 4 (Tomlin 63, 5), Moore 5, Hoilett 5 (Murphy 58, 4) SHEFF WED: Dawson 7, Iorfa 7, Lees 7, Van Aken 7, Harris 6, Luongo 6, Bannan 7, Brown 8, Penney 6 (Palmer 77, 6), Rhodes 7 (Reach 65, 6), Windass 8 (Kachunga 69, 6)
JOSH WINDASS (SHEFF WED)