Wheeler stealer

DAVID WHEELER’S header deep into first-half stoppage time secured Wycombe Wanderers their first ever win in the Championship – even though their manager Gareth Ainsworth missed it.

Richard Dobson deputised for Ainsworth, who had surgery on his back on Friday, after suffering a debilitating disc injury.

“Gaz is delighted,” Dobson said. “I spoke to him after the final whistle and he was very happy and I said to the boys to all drop him a text to tell them that win was for him.

“The boys were angry, we have had a lot of game-changing decisions go against us and they feel it has been unjust. If people thought Wycombe Wanderers losing games was going to dampen our spirits, I think today showed something else. We’re growing as a team and are excited by being in the Championship.”

It took until the final touch of the first half for the home side to make their breakthrough, as Joe Jacobson’s near-post corner was met by the head of Wheeler (above) who flicked the ball over Joe Wildsmith and into the net.

The Owls threw everything at Wycombe in the last 30 minutes, but a fine rearguard effort by the home side’s defence, with the brilliant Anthony Stewart at its heart, kept the chances to a minimum. It was Wednesday’s fourth successive defeat, which leaves them in last place and still on minus four points.

“We can’t find that killer edge,” said Owls boss Garry Monk.

Allsop 7; Grimmer 7, Knight 6, Stewart 8, Jacobson 6; Adeniran 6 (Bloomfield 55, 6); Wheeler 7 (Onyedinma 71, 6), Horgan 6, Thompson 6; Kashket 6, Akinfenwa 7 (Ikpeazu 71, 6). Unused subs: Stockdale, Tafazolli, Samuel, Mehmeti. SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY: Wildsmith 7; Palmer 6, Iorfa 7, Borner 6; Harris 5 (Brown 60, 6), Pelupessy 5 (Kachunga 67, 6), Bannan 6, Reach 6; Windass 6; Marriott 5, (Rhodes 77), Paterson 6. Unused subs: Dawson, Dele-Bashiru, Odubajo, Hunt.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Anthony Stewart. Heroic effort in defence to secure historic win for Wycombe.

REFEREE: Keith Stroud 6.