Rare Liam strike gets Owls out of a flap
LIAM PALMER’S first goal since 2011 guided Sheffield Wednesday to a vital win in their fight for Championship survival.
The defender sidefooted home on the stroke of half-time after a long throw from Callum Paterson caused problems and the visitors failed to clear.
Victory – the Owls’ fourth on the bounce at home – steered them to within four points of fourth-bottom Nottingham Forest and concluded a turbulent week at Hillsborough.
Paul Cook is unlikely to become their third manager of the season after he reportedly rejected a short-term deal, something owner Dejphon Chansiri denied.
Owls adviser Erik Alonso quit citing “forces around the club” and reports state several players have not been paid their full wages.
Caretaker manager Neil Thompson focused on his side’s character after they bounced back from the midweek loss at Coventry, and said: “It was good to see one out and the biggest thing for me was getting a reaction.
“You’ve got to be able to bounce back and I thought all the players showed an awful lot of character.”
Preston remain 11th and boss Alex Neil said: “I wouldn’t say it’s a game we deserved to lose.
“I thought we were controlling the game in the first half. I think the goal was a shocker.
“That’s probably the biggest disappointment for me.”
SHEFF WEDS: Westwood 7; Palmer 7, Lees 7, Hutchinson 7, Urhoghide 7; Reach
6 (Luongo 80th), Pelupessy 6, Bannan 8, Penney 6; Kachunga 6 (Windass (71st) 6), Paterson 6 (Rhodes 83rd)
PRESTON: Iversen 6; Browne 6, Huntington 6, Davies 6, Hughes 6 (Rafferty
78th); Ledson 6 (Johnson (67th) 6), Whiteman 7; Sinclair 6, Molumby 6 (Bodin
78th), Potts 6 (Barkhuizen (67th) 6); Riis Jakobsen 6 (Cunningham 78th)
STAR MAN: Barry Bannan
REF: A Marriner