Sheffield Wednesday 1-1 Burton: Jackson Irvine earns visitors a draw

Burton came from behind to hold play-off chasing Sheffield Wednesday to a 1-1 draw.

After Ross Wallace gave the home side the lead, Jackson Irvine's volley eight minutes later secured a point for Nigel Clough's men.

The result means that Burton have now drawn their last four games.

Wednesday were the first to pose a serious attacking threat when Wallace's low cross from the right was met by Sam Winnall, whose shot was blocked.

Wallace scored the opening goal in the 16th minute, beating McLaughlin with a long-range shot which went in off the keeper's left-hand post.

Keiren Westwood made a superb save from Marvin Sordell to protect the home side's lead, turning the ball round the post. But from the resulting corner, Westwood could do nothing to prevent Burton equalising, Irvine finding the net with a superb volley after the ball was headed back to him.

Wednesday appeared to have adopted a shoot-on-sight policy and Bannan tried another effort from distance which went narrowly wide.

Early in the second half, Bannan's low shot failed to test McLaughlin. Wednesday head coach Carlos Carvalhal then made a change in the 52nd minute, sending on Adam Reach in place of Wallace.

The home side enjoyed a good spell with Forestieri's effort turned wide by McLaughlin and Vincent Sasso heading over from the resulting corner.

As the hosts continued to press, chances fell to Reach and Jordan Rhodes. Reach saw his firm shot turned wide while the latter had a 20-yard strike saved by McLaughlin.

The inventive Forestieri tried an overhead kick from inside the area which went wide of McLaughlin's left-hand post.

In a rare Burton attack, a chance fell to Lloyd Dyer, whose shot on the turn went over the bar.

Wednesday still looked the more likely winners and Fletcher was presented with an opening, heading over from the edge of the six-yard box after Sasso headed the ball back at the far post.

In the closing minutes, Forestieri shot wide from the edge of the area as Burton held on to claim a point.

Sheffield Wednesday boss Carlos Carvalhal:

"It's a game that is very easy to explain. One team that came to achieve one point - which I understand - and another team that tried to win since the beginning. Of course I am not happy with the score, but I am happy with my players. Why? Because to play against a team that puts ten players in front of the area is not easy and I think we did what we must do.

"Most of the time we achieved good positions in the wide areas to cross and we did a lot of crosses with quality, but we didn't put the ball inside the net.

"Against a team like this we must try to shoot from outside the area and we did that a lot. We scored one goal with a shot from outside of the area. Some teams play very solid and compact and it is not easy to play against them."

Burton boss Nigel Clough:

"It was backs-to-the-wall at times and I thought we defended magnificently, to a man. We tried to be a threat but it's very difficult against quality opposition like Sheffield Wednesday. You can't play open, expansive football.

"We had to work hard and the only disappointment was the goal we conceded. We got back on equal terms quickly. We left him (Irvine) on the edge of the box and he popped up with a magnificent left-foot volley. It was a terrific strike with his wrong foot.

"If we are to survive, it's got to be a scrap and a battle and you could see the determination to succeed. I thought we were a threat in the first 15-20 minutes, but in the second half it was backs-to-the-wall stuff. It speaks volumes about their character. We have to get points from these games and that's what we've done in recent weeks."