Championship: Wycombe Wanderers 1-0 Sheffield Wednesday
- Published
David Wheeler's glancing header gave Wycombe the lead in first-half injury time
David Wheeler's header saw Wycombe beat Sheffield Wednesday to pick up their first Championship win of the season at the ninth attempt.
The midfielder glanced home a Joe Jacobson corner in first-half injury time to give the Chairboys the lead.
Scott Kashket almost made the margin of victory more comfortable but was denied by Owls goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith.
Struggling Wednesday have now lost four in a row and remain rooted to the foot of the Championship.
Wycombe lost their opening seven games of the Championship season before picking-up their first point against Watford on Wednesday, but had Richard Dobson in charge of the team following boss Gareth Ainsworth's back operation on Friday.
They started looking like a team confident of following up the Watford draw with their first win, and striker Adebayo Akinfenwa was in the thick of the early goalmouth action.
The Owls hit back when captain Barry Bannan found Callum Paterson who drilled wide of the post, and Adam Reach then flashed a shot across goal before Kadeem Harris had the ball in the net for Wednesday, only to see the flag raised for offside.
Wycombe striker Adebayo Akinfenwa had a couple of early chances to open the scoring at Adams Park
It looked like the sides would go in all-square at the break when forward Daryl Horgan was denied by Wildsmith.
But the hosts went ahead in first-half injury time when Wheeler found the net from Jacobson's corner.
Wednesday enjoyed plenty of possession after the break but struggled to create any clear-cut chances to test Ryan Allsop.
When they did manage to find the target through Paterson in the closing stages, the Wycombe goalkeeper was equal to the task.
The two sides remain in 23rd and 24th place respectively, but the Owls, who began the season on -12 points, now find themselves eight behind their Adams Park conquerors.
Chairboys assistant manager Richard Dobson told BBC Three Counties Radio:
"We're growing as a team. We're excited by the challenge of being in the Championship and we're starting to prove that we deserve to be here.
"They boys were angry and they wanted to put something right. We've had a lot of big game changing decisions go against us, which has fuelled the fire a bit as the boys feel it's been unjust.
"Gareth is a very happy guy in hospital; he's over the moon. I'm glad he's on road to recovery and we've been able to put a smile on his face."
Owls manager Garry Monk told BBC Radio Sheffield:
"I thought it was a much better performance than the last two. The lads ran their hearts out today, we competed, which we knew we would have to do, we're just lacking that killer edge.
"It's an enormous challenge no matter the situation. With the points deduction as well we know it's a mammoth task but the spirit is there and I've got no doubt that they can get out of this and the players are good enough to do this.
"I believe in the work that I do. I've proven I can win games in this league, it's a tough moment, one of the toughest situations I've been in at this club. I'm not going to lose belief in myself."