Match Preview: Sheffield Wednesday vs Cambridge Utd

11 March 2022

Following last weekend’s draw at the Abbey, Mark Bonner’s men will look to go one step further as they prepare to face promotion chasing Sheffield Wednesday…

How to follow the action

Saturday afternoon’s Sky Bet League One clash at Hillsborough kicks-off at 3.00pm (GMT), with tickets available to buy (cash only) on the day from the Sheffield Wednesday ticket office. The prices are at the following:

Adults - £22
Senior - £12
Under 21 - £12
Under 11 - £10
Under 5 - £5

Overseas fans can stream the game live with an iFollow Match Pass. Match Passes cost £10 and are available to purchase by clicking here. Domestic supporters who can't make it to Hillsborough can listen to live match commentary on iFollow.

If you encounter any issues, please contact the customer support team by emailing ifollow@efl.com.

Opposition watch

A run of eight wins in 11 games has seen Darren Moore’s side move into play-off contention, with the Owls currently sitting just a point outside the top six. A win on Saturday could see Wednesday move into the top six and ahead of three teams – with Moore’s men also boasting games in hand on all the play-off chasing sides.

Wednesday’s run of three consecutive wins was ended last weekend as Lincoln City picked up a valuable three points in their battle for survival. John Marquis’ brace, coupled with Norton-Cuffy’s finish from the edge of the area was enough to seal a 3-1 win for the Imps.

As expected, experienced playmaker Barry Bannan has been pivotal to Darren Moore’s side this season. Sitting in the middle of the park, the former Aston Villa man has impressively contributed to nine goals (five goals, four assists) in his last 10 outings in League One, recently scoring two and assisting one in the Owl’s 5-2 win over Burton a week and a half ago.

Sheffield Wednesday form: LWWWL
Cambridge United form: WWLLD

The U’s head into Saturday’s Hillsborough clash having shared the spoils with Shrewsbury Town at the Abbey last weekend. Mark Bonner would have taken pleasure out of his side’s resilient defensive performance, however not so much when it came to United’s struggles breaking down the Shrew’s impressive defence.

United currently sit 13^th in League One, with a 13-point buffer between themselves and the bottom four. A win at Hillsborough on Saturday could see the U’s move into the top half of the table, dependant on Accrington’s result against Charlton.

Down Memory Lane

Saturday’s clash will be the 18th time in which both sides have locked horns. Sheffield Wednesday hold the head-to-head edge, winning on nine of the 16 occasions in which both sides have met – with the U’s winning on just four occasions.

Despite the head-to-head statistics, Mark Bonner’s men head into Saturday’s clash off the back of a four-game unbeaten run against the Owl’s, having drawn in the return fixture at the Abbey Stadium.

George Williams’ near post header had given the U’s the lead after 20 minutes, however United were pegged back with just 10 minutes remaining on the clock after Fisayo Dele-Bashiru fired in from close range.

Prior to October’s clash, Luke Berry’s extra-time winner enough for the U’s to progress to the Second Round of the League Cup the last time the two sides met back in 2016.

Lucas Joao had originally given the visitors on the night the lead, however the Portuguese striker’s goal was cancelled out by Piero Mingoia’s brilliant long-range effort in the last minute of normal time, taking the tie to extra-time.

Saturday’s Officials

Following a two-week break, Sebastian Stockbridge will take charge of Sheffield Wednesday’s clash with the U’s. The referee last officiated in MK Dons’ 2-0 win over Bolton Wanderers a fortnight ago, handing out just a single yellow card to Bolton’s Aaron Morley.

It will be the first time United have been officiated by Stockbridge since United’s defeat to MK Dons in November.

Stockbridge will be joined by assistants Richard Woodward and Declan Ford, with Wayne Grunnill overseeing the game as fourth official.

Quick Quotes

U’s head coach Mark Bonner is looking forward to Saturday’s clash at Hillsborough

“We had a brilliant game with them earlier in the season and were very competitive. They’re in terrific form and playing really well, but it's very easy to forget that at the beginning of the season when the fixture list drops, you look for the games like these ones and you look at them and go, “These are the fixtures that we got promoted for!”, the ones that are pushing for and obviously you look at Ipswich, Sunderland, Sheffield Wednesday, Wigan, they're all to come.”

Visit the Live Match Centre to access form guides, live text commentary and live access to the match on iFollow

Match Reports

United beaten at Hillsborough

12 March 2022

Cambridge United succumbed to a heavy 6-0 defeat at Sky Bet League One giants Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough...

A forced own goal and Barry Bannan piledriver within the opening minutes set the tone for a strenuous afternoon for United. It was simply too much of a mountain to climb when Saido Berahino struck home two quickfire goals before the break. Rampant, the Owls romped to victory when the aforementioned striker teed up George Byers before concluding the scoring with his hat-trick.

The solitary change was made to the side that battled to a stalemate against Shrewsbury Town a week earlier - with Mark Bonner restoring Sam Sherring to the fold in place of Jubril Okedina.

A first trip to the characteristic stadium since 1998 was an evident sign of how far the U’s had come of late. More than holding their own, the next quest in the mission to secure a second season in the third tier was against an Owls side hunting the play-offs after a fruitful run of seven wins in nine which banished their early-season draw specialists tag. Dominant on home soil courtesy of just two league losses, it would be an intriguing test for an optimistic United side winless in six on the road.

Whilst finding their feet, United were carved open on the 6^th minute when Lee Gregory powered his way through the backline and delivered a menacing cross into the six-yard box which deflected off Lloyd Jones and into the back of the net.

The lead was doubled four minutes later when Bannan dispossessed in the middle of the park and gave himself time to roam forwards and pick his spot - which he did impeccably, blasting home from 25 yards past a helpless Dimitar Mitov.

One-way traffic ensued. Good combination play down the left resulted in Massimo Luongo scooping into George Byers who powered over the crossbar from 10 yards. Pegged back, it was important the visitors weathered the storm.

They mustered up their first opportunity after 21 minutes when Joe Ironside teed up an unmarked Jones from the outskirts of the penalty area. It was well-hit, but deflected wide of Bailey Peacock-Farrell’s left post.

The U’s defensive resolve was tested in separate occasions just shy of the half an hour mark. First, Marvin Johnson leathered an attempt from an angle which Mitov pawed away with a diving save, before Berahino rattled the post from 20 yards which the Bulgarian gathered.

The floodgates were well and truly opened on the 37^th minute when a piece of intricate play from Bannan found Berahino who turned his man and rifled home into the corner of the net.

Four minutes passed before the former England youth international was celebrating his brace. Mitov produced an applaudable save to keep out Gregory – however, it fell on a plate to an alert Berahino who powered into the roof to kill the tie off. The U’s frailty in the defensive third had been capitalised on professionally, they struggled to cope with their free-flowing opponent.

Eager to showcase fighting spirit and claw a goal back, United injected fresh legs in Liam O’Neil and Harvey Knibbs at the break.

Further damage was inflicted two minutes after the interval when Berahino scampered down the right, cut inside and set up Byers who nestled goal bound to hand the Owls the dream start and consign United to the polar opposite.

Livewire Berahino’s devastating performance was rewarded on the 54^th minute when his near-post strike curled audaciously against the post and creeped over the line to secure the match ball.

Substitute Florian Kamberi almost grabbed a seventh for Darren Moore’s men moments later when he was picked out from a sublime long ball – the first touch was delicate, but the Swiss couldn’t get the accuracy as Mitov met the low attempt.

In response, Sam Smith headed just wide of the crossbar on 68 and O’Neil’s teasing free-kick in the next attempt evaded the U’s attackers who were scurrying towards the six-yard box.

United’s best attempt of the game fell on the 82^nd minute when a neat passage down the left concluded in Knibbs jinking his way past several men and into a dangerous position before pulling the trigger which Peacock-Farrell kept out.

It proved the last of the action at Hillsborough with United unable to reward an excellent backing from the amber nation. Despite a challenging 90 minutes, it’s one they’ll be adamant to shrug off and bounce back from in the conclusion of the campaign.

Next up, the U’s look to continue their impressive form on home soil as they welcome high-flying MK Dons for a mammoth test. Be sure to back the lads at our very own Abbey Stadium.

Sheffield Wednesday: Peacock-Farrell, Storey, Hutchinson (Iorfa, 58) , Gibson, Hunt, Luongo, Byers, Bannan, Johnson, Berahino (Sow, 71), Gregory (Kamberi, 58)

Subs Not Used: Wildsmith, Palmer, Dele-Bashiru, Paterson

Goalscorers: Jones OG (6), Bannan (10), Berahino (37, 41, 54), Byers (47)

Bookings:

Cambridge United: Mitov, Williams, Jones, Sherring (Okedina, 62), Dunk, Digby, May (O’Neil, 46), Smith, Hoolahan (Knibbs, 46), Brophy, Ironside

Subs Not Used: Mannion, Tolaj, Tracey, Lankester

Goalscorers:

Bookings:

Referee: Sebastian Stockbridge

Attendance: 22646