Sheffield Wednesday vs Millwall. Sky Bet Championship.
HillsboroughAttendance23,403.
Tuesday 31 October 2017 22:39, UK
Jordan Rhodes' first league goal since March helped ease the pressure on boss Carlos Carvalhal as Sheffield Wednesday beat Millwall 2-1 in the Sky Bet Championship.
Rhodes has hardly set Hillsborough alight since his January move which was made permanent in the summer, but struck the decisive goal just before half-time as the Owls won for only the second time in eight games.
Wednesday, whose fans have been chanting for Carvalhal's head in recent weeks, had taken the lead in the opening few minutes through Adam Reach, but Tom Elliott levelled for Millwall before Rhodes struck the decisive blow.
Neil Harris' men had chances to get back into the game, Shane Ferguson missing the best of them, but they remain winless on the road this season and ended the game with 10 men as Jake Cooper was dismissed in time added on.
Given his uncomfortable position and need for a win, Carvalhal could not have asked for a better start as Reach put them ahead in only the third minute. A fine angled ball from Ross Wallace found Morgan Fox in space and the left-back's drilled cross was stabbed home by Reach from eight yards.
Having been denied a two-goal lead by a brilliant flying save from Jordan Archer to keep out Barry Bannan's effort, Wednesday saw their advantage wiped out in the 13th minute.
Millwall attacked quickly on the break and Fred Onyedinma's shot was deflected off a defender into the path of Elliott, who converted well from a narrow angle for his first goal since August.
If Elliott's wait for a goal has been long, then Rhodes' must have felt like a lifetime, but he ended a league drought that went back to March at a crucial time as he put the Owls back in front just before the break.
Wednesday forced a corner down the left which Wallace whipped in and the striker got in front of his marker and powered his header into the far corner. It was just his fourth Championship goal in 30 games for the Owls and a fifth almost followed immediately afterwards, but his overhead-kick drifted just wide.
Wednesday's nerves in the second half were evident and Millwall wasted several good chances to level. The best of them came first as Ferguson was played in on goal but he took too long to shoot and Keiren Westwood came out to block.
Cooper headed straight at Westwood from a corner while Jed Wallace also wanted too much time when he found himself with space in the box and Glenn Loovens came to the rescue.
As Millwall pushed hard for an equaliser chances began to come at the other end and Rhodes should have had a hat-trick, but first he headed Wallace's cross over and then planted an effort from Fox's centre onto the post. In the end, Rhodes' solitary strike was enough and Wednesday held on for a much-needed win.
Carlos Carvalhal: "It's important for strikers to score goals and when they score after a long time they get more confidence. It was an important goal at an important time. It's important for his confidence, we have worked on some things with him in the week and the answer from him was good.
"It was important after the last few weeks to win. We have had games where we should have taken a minimum five points, but we haven't. It was important to win after everything and that is the word we have said in the dressing room - win. It's not just important to to me, but to Sheffield Wednesday."
Neil Harris: "I think Sheffield Wednesday were excellent for 20 minutes, I think we helped them out, and then we got a foothold back in the game. I thought we were excellent leading up to their second goal. It's a poor goal to give away, you can't give a player like Jordan Rhodes time in the box.
"It sort of deflates us, the lads were disappointed, but the second half we were excellent. I thought we were in control of the game and looked the better side. Keys moments went us against. There are lots of positives and I am disappointed that we didn't get anything out of the game."
