Dan’s spot and polish JOHNSON PENALTY DOUBLE FOR PRESTON
The North End midfielder scored against Swansea last week and in the win over Stoke in midweek.
He was on the mark again twice yesterday, the Jamaicanborn player they call ‘DJ’ netting from the spot.
And both were ‘gifted’ by defender Moses Odubajo, who brought down tricky Irishman Sean Maguire twice.
North End manager Alex Neil praised Johnson but said: “I thought Sean Maguire was the difference – he just reads the bounce of the ball so well.
“I had no worries when we won the penalties. DJ is as cool as a cucumber. We need to poke him at times to see if he is alive but he really played well for us.
“It was a merited win. For 75 minutes we were comfortable, then Wednesday threw three up font and went long, but you have to deal with these things.”
It wasn’t Odubajo’s day. First, the former Brentford man felled Maguire by the dead-ball line in the first-half, right under the nose of ref Rob Jones.
Then, in a virtual ‘action replay,’ Odubajo brought down Preston’s Irish international in the second half – to give Johnson his double opportunity.
Referee Jones had no hesitation in pointing to the spot for the first spot-kick and though keeper Keiren Westwood got a hand to Johnson’s low, left-foot strike, the power of his effort took the ball in. It was the 26-year-old’s second penalty of the season, his first coming last weekend at Swansea, his other goal being midweek in North End’s home win against Stoke.
It seemed appropriate that for his next penalty, Johnson should hit the same low shot to the same side of the goal, only for keeper Westwood to dive the other way on this occasion.
Owls’ caretaker boss Lee Bullen said: “We don’t throw anyone under the bus. There’s a guy in there who is dreadfully upset and disappointed. Two mistakes cost us the match, but we stand by him. He just had an off-day and we have to support him and bring him back”
Striker Steve Fletcher fired up their massive 4,500 following with a perfectly headed goal from a cross by sub Adam Reach to set up a blistering Wednesday bid for an equaliser. But it wasn’t to be.