The Matches
Aston Villa
We began the month with a home game against Steve Bruce's former employers Aston Villa, Villa had found form after a run of one win in eight and arrived at Hillsborough with the play offs very much in their own hands. For us we knew a win over Villa would give us a big chance. A lot of the build up obviously focused on Steve Bruce and I have to say the Villa fans for me were much more bothered about it than we were. As for the game itself Wednesday played well and it was fantastic to see Gary Hooper get on the scoresheet after so long out. Overall we controlled the game and but sloppy defending for John McGinn's equaliser should have been in front at half time. The 2nd half once again we bossed and won a penalty after Tyrone Mings brought down Fletcher. Mings could have easily seen red earlier in the game as could former Owl Glenn Whelan after a cynical foul on Sam Hutchinson. Sadly Fletcher missed the penalty and Villa went on to win the game 3-1. Frustrating, we'd been the better side and come away with nothing but there were still positives to take from it and overall it was a huge sign of how far this team had come since Bruce's arrival.
Nottingham Forest
Following that we had another home game a few days later in the shape of Nottingham Forest, Forest who spent a lot of money in the summer were clinging on to faint play off hopes themselves and were yet to win on the road under Martin O'Neill. The first half of this game probably summed up both sides seasons, neither was really in control of it. They maybe shaded it and it looked like it would peter out for a draw. It looked like two sides that would finish mid table. The 2nd half however Wednesday decided to turn it on, there was an element of fortune about all three goals. The first from Marco Matias I don't even think he knew what he was doing but a fantastic strike the Portuguese winger and I was pleased for him. George Boyd cracked in a 2nd after Wednesday counter attacked from a Forest free kick. Boyd has taken a lot of stick this season but to be fair to him his performances have been decent recently and he deserved his goal. While he isn't the George Boyd that terrorised defences back in his Peterborough days he's a good footballer and in the right team can be an asset. Marco Matias rounded off the night with a third goal to make it a good night for Wednesday, fortune once again around it but you make your own luck in football. A pleasing night for Wednesday.
Leeds United
After the Forest win we travelled up to face Yorkshire rivals Leeds. I'll be honest this was an odd day. The results earlier in the day meant that a Leeds win would put them in pole position for automatic promotion ahead of Sheffield United, from my point of view I'd never want my team to lose but it did slightly take the normal feelings defeat brings away. Again I didn't want us to lose and before the game fancied Wednesday to get something. The performance however I think showed the job Steve Bruce has on his hands. We did OK in the first half and could even have gone in front through Gary Hooper but ultimately Leeds were in control. Keiren Westwood came to the rescue on a number of occasions and probably strengthened his negotiating position for a new contract even further. We lost 1-0 and if we're honest it flattered us in the end. Again though, this is a Leeds team that have beaten a lot of sides at Elland Road. At the time they had won every game they had gone in front in. That's a fantastic asset to have. If we can take lessons from what they do and implement it into ourselves for next season we should.
Norwich City
After the Leeds game we were back on the road for the Good Friday trip down to Norwich, Norwich are in my opinion the best side in the Championship. They have a vibrant young team that play some great football and have done it all after selling the two best players last season. They deserve to go up and despite a disappointing result last season they stuck with the plan and got their rewards. Again we need to learn from what they do and implement it here. As for the game itself I thought Wednesday were excellent, falling behind to an early goal after Keiren Westwood pulled out in the warm up wasn't an ideal start. Cameron Dawson has taken some stick over the course of the season and I have to say some of it has been ridiculously harsh. Coming in at literally the last minute is never easy and probably contributed to the goal going in. After that Wednesday grew into the game and Fernando Forestieri scored what can only be described as an absolute rocket of a goal. It looked as though the chance to score had gone before he rifled the shot in from distance beating Tim Krul and for me it is a deserved winner of the club's goal of the season competition, which by the way had some stunners in. We got some fortune with the 2nd goal when Steven Fletcher handballed it over the line in the 2nd half. What I will say is that the Norwich fans do have a right to be annoyed about it but the idea of being 'deliberate' is nonsense. His hand has ended up there because he's slid in at an angle, he hasn't reached out and hooked it in. After that it looked like Wednesday were on for their first win at Carrow Road since 2009 but a late free kick was given and Norwich did what Norwich do, score a late goal. Overall it was a pleasing performance but a gutting end. The free kick wasn't a foul and then the taken took it five yards from where it was given. It was a poor night for Goeff Eltringham and left both sets of fans frustrated with him.
Bristol City
After the Norwich result the faint hopes of the play offs were still there, we needed to beat Bristol City to have any chance and I have to say I thought Wednesday were excellent. Bristol City are a good side, they didn't really show that at Hillsborough on Easter Monday but they were still a danger. We coped well with them and took the lead through another good goal, this time from Barry Bannan and added a 2nd later in the first half from Lucas Joao who received some stick from some fans during the game. Joao is a player who does frustrate at times but he has so much quality as well. It does irritate me when people label him lazy, he isn't lazy. His body language at times lets him down but he hasn't scored the goals he has this season by accident. A 2nd half double save from Cameron Dawson saw the Owls keep another clean sheet and make sure of three points. Overall it was a very pleasing afternoon to round off a decent Easter period for Wednesday.
Preston North End
The final game of April saw us travel over to Preston knowing we had to win to keep any faint hopes of the play offs alive. I'll be honest for me it was never about play offs this season since Bruce came in. It was mostly about stabilizing the club after a very disappointing first half of the campaign. The fact we went into the 45th League game of the season still in with a chance is testament to the job Steve Bruce, Steve Agnew, Stephen Clemence and Lee Bullen have done. They must all take great credit for that as well as the players. As for the game, the first half wasn't great. 2-0 down at half time after two sloppy goals conceded. Steve Bruce said after the game that it was the first time he'd lost his temper since arriving and I have to say I wasn't surprised seeing the goals back. Both were avoidable, We got back into it through another great goal from Barry Bannan before Alan Browne who's been a thorn in our side before scored a third. Wednesday then began to play again, Fernando Forestieri latching onto Atdhe Nuhiu's cross before the big man himself nodded in the equaliser. Overall a crazy game in which both sides maybe feel they could have won it. The play off dream was over but the club can now look ahead to next season and a possible push.
So overall another interesting month in the Steve Bruce ear and with one more match to play we're closing in on the end of the season. I'll save my overall thoughts on the current situation for the next blog which will be a comprehensive review of the season as well as touching on the QPR game and whatever news may have come out of the club post match.
Thanks for reading
Tom
WAWAW
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