FIRST HALF DOMINANCE SLIPS IN THE SECOND HALF

Wednesday 1 (1) Southampton 1 (0)

Attendance : 28,424 (Yeah really!)

Referee: R Dilkes

Wednesday: Pressman; Atherton, Pearce, Walker, Nolan; Waddle (Petrescu 73), Hyde, Sheridan, Bart-Williams; Whittingham (Watson 73), Bright; unused subs: Key

Three wins out of three so far in the festive season had seen the team rise to the top half of the table and there was every reason to expect a positive result from this match. An unchanged side from the Leciester game started this match, and Des won the toss with Wednesday kicking towards the West stand in the first half. Hillsborough was packed with the only spare seats appearing to be in the Upper West stand - the visitor's end.

Monkou was booked, rather harshly, after only a couple of minutes. By the end of the match though he was lucky to still be on the field. Despite playing very well he also fouled very well, and regularly.

Early on Wednesday imposed their dominance in midfield, and on more than one occasion Sheridan nipped in to take the ball off Le Tissier's feet. In fact Le Tissier was dispossessed more often than he had the ball in the first twenty minutes or so, even losing the ball to Waddle!

Wendesday's goal came from a corner. Bart-Williams played the ball over from the left and Grobbelaar punched it away, only as far as Graham Hyde though. He volleyed it first time from 12 yards into the far top corner of the net for a corker of a goal.

Whittingham was playing well with Bright up front while the four midfield players didn't appear to have set positions - they all played in each other's position at times.

Atherton made a crucial challenge in the box when a goal looked possible after Le Tissier's low centre from the right. Bart-Williams also defended well this half, tracking back and getting in an excellent challenge on Kenna as he broke down the right wing and then cut inside towards the centre of the field. Southampton were playing with three at the back with the fullbacks pushing up to join midfield.

Waddle had a chance to extend the lead when he broke from midfield with the ball at his feet. Hall was undecided as to whether he should cover Whittingham who was also running forward, or make a challenge on Waddle. He decided to do neither by backtracking between them, and this allowed Waddle to have a go from just outside the box. Unfortunately he simply played the ball into Grobbelaar's midriff.

Southampton's best chance this half was from a LeTissier free kick on the right side of the field about 10 yards outside the box. The wall was well placed; Le Tissier bent it around the wall but it was always missing the near post. Pressman had got down well to the shot anyway and was able to take his hand away to let it go for the goal kick.

Just before half time Bart-Williams had a golden chance to score when he was put away through the middle, behind the defence, with only the keeper to beat. He had loads of time, but instead of taking his time he had a rather poor first touch (by his standards) and then shot first time low but 5 yards wide of the right hand post.

Whittingham went down injured at the beginning of the second half when involved in a collision with Monkou which left him winded and looking like having very sore ribs. The ref noticed he was down and in considerable discomfort, but allowed play to carry on, even though Grobbelaar had come out of his goal and was beckoning for the trainer to come on. The attack came to nothing and it was only when Pressman kicked the ball into the stand that Whittingham could be treated.

Early in the second half Wednesday had a golden chance to extend their lead, but failed to put away a number of chances in quick succession. A quick Sheridan free kick in the second half nearly brought dividends when Waddle went on a run into the box and the ball was played over his head, unfortunately he couldn't hit it on the volley, and briging the ball under control allowed the Southampton defender to get in and knock the ball away for a corner on the left. The ball was swung in, and in the melee to clear it it fell to Pearce about 8 yards out. His poked shot was definitely goalbound, with Grobbelaar nowhere, but the ball deflected off a Southampton defender for a corner. At first I thought it had deflected off Bright.

From the resulting Waddle corner on the right the ball was flicked out to Sheridan, standing unmarked in the box on the left with all the time in the world. He put his drive over the bar and that was really the end of Wednesday's dominance in the game. They had some more chances after this, but the extended pressure they had enjoyed disappeared.

From the hour mark onwards, probably due to the two Southampton substitutions, Southampton started to exert more pressure in the centre of the field, and were making a number of quick breaks towards the Wednesday goal. Kev was still yet to be tested though, and was catching every cross that came his way with some ease, being applauded by Grobbelaar each time.

Monkou was lucky not to get sent off, when after challenging Bright fairly for the ball he stood on his ankle as the player went down. Neither the ref nor the linesman saw anything though.

Southampton's goal, indeed their only shot on target all night, came from a penalty. It was difficult to judge what happened from the Kop; the Southampton player went round Atherton and as he did so Atherton slid in for the ball. Obviously he got the man as the ref gave the penalty, but the ref did seem to be siding with Southampton this half it has to be said. Anyway Le Tissier stepped up and even though Kev went the right way, and may even have got a hand to the ball, it went inside the keeper's left post.

This set up an interesting last twenty minutes, with Wednesday almost immediately after the penalty making a double substitution. Watson and Petrescu came on for Whittingham and Waddle. Whittingham appeared to be still sruggling with the knock he got early in the second half and the game had turned into one where Waddle's talents weren't best suited i.e. a bit of a scrap.

Petrescu played equally in the centre of the field than on the right wing, and didn't seem to get into the game coming on with Wednesday in decline and Southampton in ascedancy. Again he appears unable to get stuck in when it matters, most noticably when he was fairly dispossessed on the edge of the box coming forward, but looked to the referee for a foul. Stand on your feet and give as good as you get Dan!

Wednesday had a couple of shouts for a penalty in the second half, both of which were waived away by Mr Dilkes. The most clear cut was when a centre from the right clearly struck the Southampton player, but the ref obviously thought it accidental and waived play on. I'm sure Liverpool would have got the decision at Anfield.

Wednesday still had chances to win this match, the nearest being an Andy Pearce header which bounced away off the outside of the far post. Also, in the closing minute there was an almighty goalmouth scramble when Grobbelaar failed to hold the ball under pressure from Bright, and somehow the ball was kicked away and nothing came from it.

The ref blew his whistle and that was that. He left the field to a chorus of boos. If someone had said before the Everton game that Wednesday would get 10 points over Christmas I would have been happy with it so overall things went well. However, you can't help feeling that they should have won this match too.