Wednesday left it late against Derby
Derby County 1 - 2 Sheffield Wednesday
A dramatic injury-time goal from Jamal Lowe, following a sensational strike by Barry Bannan, completed a stunning comeback for Sheffield Wednesday as they overcame Derby County at Pride Park.
Derby, urged by manager Paul Warne to start with more urgency, appeared to heed the call when Ebou Adams fired them into the lead after just nine minutes. Adams coolly converted Marcus Harness' fizzing cut-back, setting the tone for a bright first half for the hosts.
Returning loanee and top scorer Jerry Yates had two golden chances to extend Derby’s lead after the break. His close-range effort was brilliantly saved by Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper James Beadle, and minutes later, his header rattled the crossbar following a corner.
However, Derby’s inability to double their advantage proved costly. On his 35th birthday, Barry Bannan delivered a moment of magic, curling a sublime left-footed strike from the edge of the box into the top corner on 64 minutes, levelling the score against his former club.
As the game entered its final stages, both sides pushed for a winner. Bannan came close again, narrowly missing the target with another curling effort. But it was Jamal Lowe who stole the show in injury time, sliding home Callum Paterson's precise pass from close range to seal a remarkable 2-1 victory for the visitors.
The win marked Sheffield Wednesday’s fourth triumph in their last six away matches across all competitions, propelling them into the Championship’s top half. Meanwhile, Derby’s inconsistent home form continued, leaving them languishing in 15th place.
Derby began the match brimming with confidence, controlling possession and creating chances. The opener typified their intent, with Yates setting up Harness, who delivered a pinpoint cut-back for Adams to convert from six yards.
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing nearly doubled the lead shortly after, but Beadle superbly tipped away his strike. Despite their dominance, the Rams couldn’t capitalise further, leaving Wednesday with an xG (expected goals) of just 0.01 by half-time.
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Wednesday boss Danny Rohl made tactical adjustments at the interval, introducing Josh Windass and switching to a back three. However, Derby continued to threaten, with Yates missing two clear opportunities to extend their lead.
The turning point came with Bannan’s spectacular equaliser, a goal that showcased his class and underlined why he remains a pivotal figure for Sheffield Wednesday.
In the end, Derby’s inability to finish their chances allowed Wednesday to snatch all three points, with Lowe’s late winner capping a thrilling comeback and leaving the Rams to rue their missed opportunities.
Liam, a Sheffield Wednesday fan, told us: That was magnificent. Once again, we brought a massive following to an away match and we deserved that incredible moment. It feels like this squad always has a moment of magic in them."
Southy, a Derby fan, added: "Not happy. We had the chance to win that. We are never going to challenge at the top of the table until we start winning matches like those."
