FLETCHER EYES THE TOP
Wednesday ace breaks deadlock
STEVEN FLETCHER had Wednesday fans dreaming of promotion and the chance to exorcise some of his own Premier League ghosts.
But plucky Town struck back via Tom Lees’ own goal to take the play-off clash into extra-time after a goalless first leg.
With an estimated £170m prize up for grabs for the promoted team, there was a lot at stake ahead of facing Reading at Wembley later this month.
But Wednesday boss Carlos Carvalhal first had to carry out some early reshuffling when winger Ross Wallace limped off after just five minutes with a hamstring injury.
It didn’t seem to unsettle the Owls and they might have taken the lead after 19 minutes.
Break
Kieran Lee’s cross found substitute Adam Reach, who controlled the ball before drawing a good block from keeper Danny Ward.
With Wednesday on the front foot, Town sniffed the chance of hitting them on the break.
They almost pulled that off when Wells picked the pocket of Sam Hutchinson and took the ball into the box before being forced into a weak shot.
And after 25 minutes, the visitors should have had a foot on Wembley Way when Wells crossed from the left and Izzy Brown could only clip the post from six yards.
Wednesday hit back quickly with Barry Bannan finding Fletcher, who should have shot but instead missed his team-mate Fernando Forestieri with a poor pass.
After the pair had produced a total of three goals in their three previous meetings this season, perhaps it was no surprise they went in at the break goalless.
That would change via Fletcher, who was relegated from the top flight with Burnley and Wolves, in the 51st minute.
A Wednesday attack looked to have fizzled out when Lee gave up the ball on the edge of the box.
But Fletcher battled to win it back and started a move which ended with Bannan picking him out and the striker heading superbly past Ward from six yards.
Huddersfield responded with a strong penalty shout as the sides desperately looked to steal the killer edge.
After going down early in the second half, Town turned on the pressure with Wells shooting wide after good policing from defender Lees.
And then Wells played his vital part in the 73rd minute leveller, turning in Collin Quaner’s cross via a deflection off Lees.