HIRST STRIKE SINKS CHAMPIONS

Wednesday 1 (1) Manchester United 0 (0)

Attendance : about 33,???

Referee: P Danson

Wednesday: Pressman; Atherton, Walker, Pearce, Nolan; Bart-Williams (Taylor 65) , Hyde, Sheridan, Briscoe; Hirst, Bright (Watson 88); unused sub: Key

Manchester United: Schmeicel; Parker (May 61), Bruce, Pallister, Irwin; Gillespe (Scholes), Ince, Keane, Sharpe; Hughes, McClair; unused sub Walsh

This was the game a lot of people had been waiting for, hoping that Wednesday's recent good play could for once be turned into points and that the four defeats suffered at United's hands last season could be put in the past. With many players injured or away on international duty both teams fielded a junior player in their starting line ups. For Wednesday it was a home debut for Lee Briscoe, playing on the left side of midfield. For United Gillespe replaced the injured Giggs on the right flank.

Wednesday were missing Sinton through injury (and of course Waddle who'll be out until Christmas as least ...) with Petrescu on international duty, as were Kanchelskis and Cantona for United. In some ways these absences were not as much in Wednesday's favour as it first appears as it meant a start for Brian McClair, who in the past always seems to score at Hillsborough.

Des won the toss and the teams stayed at the same ends and United kicked off. The Kop hummed the dambusters tune, as you might have expected after last season's happenings at Old Trafford, and wasn't met with any hostility. Perhaps the Mancunians have realised that it originates from the Kaiserslautern match and not them. Hughes was making his presence felt to Walker from the very start, and the referee seemd oblivious to the holding and pushing which was going on. Both teams took a little while to settle down and when they did it was always United who looked the most likely to threaten a goal.

Sharpe got booked early on for bringing Bart-Williams down outside the box. Sheridan and Hirst stood over the ball, and with Schmeicel still organising his wall and well on his right side of the goal, Sheridan took the kick quickly but only managed to balloon the ball over the middle of the bar. Bruce was also booked within the first twenty minutes, and this restricted his ability to defend for the rest of the match. The United fans didn't like it when Bruce was booked and addressed the referee in the time honoured manner. Pearce also got booked around now, this one for losing his balance and accidentally falling into the advancing United player.

While Wednesday had some neat build ups with many passes between players, there wasn't any real penetration into the box, whereas United managed to put three or four passes togther and were immediately on the attack, pushing Wednesday back and getting into the box. United had three or four chances to score in the first half, the better chances falling to Hughes, Ince and Gillespe. Hughes chance came when Wednesday failed to clear the ball convincingly from a corner and Irwin played the ball over the top of the defence which pushed out too late and Hughes was able to get to the ball from an onside position. His volley from the edge of the six yard box was parried by Pressman and Atherton cleared the danger.

When Wednesday did attack they never managed to have the same penetration that United's attacks did. One point in question was when Atherton and Hirst broke down the right and with Hirst peeling off on the outside for the ball up the wing Atherton plays it back to the space just vacated by Hirst. This showed up some of Atherton's attacking shortcomings.

Keane then broke down the United right from half way, with Nolan being caught up field in the previous attack. Hyde tracked back with Keane, and as he pulled the ball back to Sharpe, Atherton managed to get a foot to the ball, only for it to run to the incoming Ince who succeeded in putting his shot way over the bar with Atherton closing in on him quickly. Time and time again in this first half United pressed down their right flank, and Gillespe looked particularly good for a teenager. He was in the middle of the park when their best chance came. McClair was put through by a ball into the space vacated by Nolan as he pushed up, and had a clear run to the by line. As he neared goal and played the ball across the face Gillespe was there to out the ball in the net. However, he had strayed infront of the defender marking him into an offside position. That really should have been a goal.

United's last attack of the half resulted in Wednesday taking the lead ! Gillespe again had the ball on the right and nudged Nolan off the ball near the corner flag. He then closed in on goal, but Nolan made an excellent challange which resulted in the ball going to the edge of the box where it was picked up and played to Bart-Williams. He came out of defence and spotted David Hirst making a run. The pass was timed to perfection and Hirst took off towards the United goal, leaving Bruce and Pallister in his wake, with only Schmeicel to beat. He let Schmeical adfvance to the edge of his area and cooly played it round the side of him and inside the far post with his right foot (GLF ? GRF ?). There was only a minute left of the half and it appeared that United were rattled as Wednesday managed a couple more attacks before half time.

All in all it was a pretty poor first half footballing wise, but what the hell when you're one up against the champions !?! Bright was always second best to Pallister in the air and apart from the incidents above nothing else of note took place really. The second half was a much more exciting affair with plenty of end to end play.

The sides came out unchanged at the start of the second half and you felt if Wednesday could just keep it tight for the first ten minutes then they might be in with a chance of winning it. Wednesday again looked well organised but it was United who had the first chance of the half. The ball eventually fell to Sharpe who hooked the ball over the bar with his right foot.

Wednesday were caught offside after a promising move down the right and with Atherton around half way the ball was played over his head for Sharpe to run onto. This he did and when he played the ball over Keane and Hughes were waiting in the box, but Des got there first and made a excellent back header, but only for the ball to fall to Gillespie. The ball was played back to Keane who shot, Pressman blocked it and managed to reclaim the ball with Atherton protecting him in front. Kev was not having one of his best games.

Wednesday weathered this early storm and then started to play some neat stuff of their own. Parker went off after an hour for May, and Bart-Williams also went off to be replaced by Taylor. Bart-man did seem to be drifting out of the game by now but he did make Hirsts goal earlier. Hirst was a changed man in the second half. You could see the confidence returning - if only he'd slotted that one against Bradford a couple of weeks ago ...

Briscoe was playing OK down the left, supporting Nolan and putting over a few neat crosses. The best of these were two crosses to the near post in quick succession. Bright complained about the service, but if he'd been in the right place then they were definite goal scoring opportunities. Briscoe was also taking all of the Wednesday corners.

Sheridan and Hyde were once more doing the business in midfield. From a United clearance Walker header the ball forward from half way, Hyde chested it down and played it to Sheridan, who passed it inside to Hirst who carried it forward and then played the return ball to Sheridan for him to shoot from the edge of the box, only for Schmeicel to save well. Briscoe was almost put through by Hirst, only the outstretched foot of Gary Pallister prevented the youngster with a clear run on goal.

Hirsty was chasing everything and nearly got a second when he caught David May with the ball on the edge of the box. Hirst played it back to Briscoe, who in turn returned the ball to Hirst once he had backtracked onside. Boy Wonder then played a one-two with Sheridan, unfortunately getting the ball caught up under his feet as he left the defence for dead and went into the box. This gave Schmeicel just enough sight of the ball to fall on it.

Hyde also had a chance to score when Pallister dwelled on the ball too long and was dispossessed just outside the box. Hyde looked up and tried to chip the keeper, but only succeeded in passing it back to him. He was clearly annoyed at wasting such a good chance, but it was the hard work and running which had made it possible in the first place.

Gillespe was replaced by Scholes as United looked for the equalizer. Taylor was playing OK in midfield after giving the ball away early on. He won some good possession and didn't shirk away from challenges with Ince of Keane in any way. His best challenge was when he beat Ince to the ball and chested it down nicely to let Hirst? in on the left.

With less than five minutes to go it was unbearable - would Wednesday hold out for the win ? Watson was getting warmed up on the sideline but there was no sign of him coming on immediately. Trev waiting to waste some time near the 88/89 minutes mark. When Watson did come on it was to replace bright, who had an average game. He did hold the ball up well at times, but also played some awful passes.

With the crowd suggesting that time may well be out Wednesday had their last chance of the match. Hirst raced clear down the left, lost his left boot as he cut into the box (which may have affected his decision about whether to pass or shoot) and played a square ball across the face of goal. Watson was following up at the near post and couldn't get a touch on the ball and it ran to Irwin at the back post who managed to clear. The final incident of the match was the booking of Mark Hughes for a challenge from behind (I think).

The ref blew his whistle and it was over - the first home victory of the season and the first English team to keep a clean sheet against United this season. People will say they were missing key players, but so were Wednesday. It was nice to see Schmeicel appluad the Kop before he left the pitch.

If Hirsty get going now, and with Hyde and Sheridan in such good form it can't be long before we're back up near the other end of the table.