The Owls struggled in the first half against the Rams on Sunday, heading into the break trailing 1-0 after a costly early mistake. Ebou Adams capitalized on that error to give Derby County the lead, leaving Sheffield Wednesday with a steep hill to climb at Pride Park. Club captain Barry Bannan shouldered much of the blame, reflecting on a moment he felt set the tone for the opening period. As the match kicked off, it was the 35-year-old veteran tasked with getting the game underway, but his decision-making let him down. Instead of releasing the ball quickly, Bannan found himself dispossessed by the alert Jerry Yates, an error that gifted the Rams an early surge of momentum and left the Owls chasing the game.
Reflecting on his first-half struggles, Bannan was brutally honest about his performance. “I needed to do something in the second half because, in the first half, I put the team on the back foot right from the kickoff,” he admitted. “Giving the ball away so cheaply lifted Derby and gave them all the confidence they needed. We found it hard to regain control of the game during those 45 minutes, and a lot of that was probably down to me. I felt I’d let the team down, so at halftime, I had a word with myself. I knew I had to come out and deliver something special to make up for it.”
True to his word, Bannan delivered in spectacular fashion in the second half. Determined to turn things around, the skipper stepped up when his team needed him most, producing a moment of brilliance to pull Wednesday level. His fantastic strike was a testament to his resilience and quality, and it shifted the momentum in the Owls’ favor.
But the drama didn’t end there. Jamal Lowe’s late winner ensured Wednesday walked away with all three points, propelling them closer to the play-off places and sending the traveling fans into raptures. For Bannan, the result was as much about redemption as it was about the team’s upward trajectory. “I’m glad I got the goal that brought us back into the game,” he said, his relief palpable. “To come away with the win and all three points was amazing. It showed our character and determination to fight back.”
Despite his heroics, Bannan’s efforts on Sunday came at a price. A first-half booking means the midfielder will be suspended for the Owls’ next outing against Preston North End this weekend. However, fans won’t have to wait long to see their captain back in action, as he’s expected to return to the fold on Tuesday night when Wednesday hosts Blackburn Rovers.
For now, the focus will shift to maintaining the momentum that this hard-fought victory has generated. With leaders like Bannan demonstrating their ability to rise above mistakes and deliver under pressure, the Owls look well-poised to continue their push toward the play-off positions. If they can channel the grit and determination shown in the second half at Pride Park, their promotion dreams may yet become a reality.
