Owls need to wise up
Ipswich boss out to restore order
READING boss Veljko Paunovic watched this win with his arm in a sling – but it was far more painful for 10-man Sheffield Wednesday.
The Royals maintained their promotion push with an easy victory secured by a Michael Olise penalty, a 21st goal of the season from ex-Owl Lucas Joao and a late Andy Yiadom strike.
A sixth straight defeat in the Championship for Darren Moore’s side looked a foregone conclusion from the 29th minute when Julian Borner was sent off after fouling George Puscas in the area.
And relegation to League One for the first time in nine years is creeping ever closer.
Paunovic, who injured his collarbone in a freak training fall last week, has now seen his side claim nine points in a week without conceding a goal.
He said: “I tore ligaments in my collarbone from an awkward fall and it is pretty nasty, but I have had the best medical care and must now recover.
“We started this game very well and controlled the game. Obviously, the red card and the penalty came in the first half after the run from George Puscas.
“And once Lucas said he was no longer comfortable taking them after recent problems, Michael was very keen.”
Wednesday had the first good chance, Tom Lees’ header hitting the bar from Kadeem Harris’ corner.
The game-changing moment arrived almost on the half-hour, as Borner brought down Puscas.
James Linington showed Borner red for denying a goalscoring opportunity, the seventh sending off of Wednesday’s season.
And in a change of penalty taker after Joao’s three misses out of seven, Olise coolly scored.
Joao hit the bar from an Olise corner, before picking his spot after being teed up by Yiadom on 65 minutes. And Yiadom helped himself to a first goal of the season with an angled strike with two minutes left.
Wednesday have also had a red card in each of the last four league matches against Reading.
Moore, after two games and two defeats in charge, said: “We were in the game until the penalty and the sending off.
“Another suspension for a player is a blow, and the odds are stacked against us. But it essential that everyone sticks together after a very tough week.”
READING: Cabral 6; Yiadom 8 (Esteves 90), Holmes 6, Moore 6, McIntyre 7, Richards 7; Olise 8 (Tetek 82), Laurent 7 (Azeez 90), Semedo 6; Joao 7 (Aluko 67, 6), Puscas 7 (Baldock 82). Unused subs: Southwood, Dorsett, East, Camara.
SHEFF WEDS: Wildsmith 6; Urhoghide 6, Lees 6, Börner 4, Palmer 6; Harris 6 (Marriott 70, 6), Hutchinson 6, Shaw 6, Windass 6 (Pelupessy 85); Bannan 6 (Penney 32, 6); Paterson 6 (Rhodes 70, 6). Unused subs: Jackson, Dunkley, Brown, Reach, Kachunga.
MAN OF MATCH: Michael Olise. Always a creative spark for the Royals, either in open play or from set-pieces.
REFEREE: James Linington 7.
PAUL COOK is looking to bring “sanity” back to Ipswich after his first game as manager ended in defeat at Gillingham.
Vadaine Oliver’s second-half double orchestrated a disappointing beginning for Cook (right) after Jack Tucker had struck early at Priestfield.
Luke Chambers had got Ipswich back on terms, and while their three-match winning run ended, the new boss feels he has seen plenty to remain optimistic.
“Without a shadow of a doubt, there is potential with these players,” he said.
“Like any club, you can have a bad day and when that happens everything looks really bad.
“The most important thing is that the next day becomes a good one.
“I’ve been in the building for a couple of days now and I’m learning all the time.
“We know that we’ve got to get out of this league. In two years we’ve seen a big turnaround in players, people coming in and out the club in too quick a time, so we need to bring some sanity to the club.”
The home side were good value for their win, with
Oliver in particular impressing to move to four goals in three games.
“He’s a great lad, he gives us a real focal point,” said Gills assistant manager Paul Raynor. “I wouldn’t like to play against him if I’m a centre-half. They all know they’re in for tough afternoons when they come up against him. He’s added goals to his game – he’s becoming a real threat now. He’s eager to learn and he’s taking his chances.” Back-to-back wins in March have left the Gills looking up and not down the table.
But talk of the playoffs are not in Raynor’s mind just yet.
He added: “We need to keep expectations at a steady level.”