Darren Moore feels Sheffield Wednesday deserved their win over Ipswich

Posted Sunday, January 30, 2022 by PA

Sheffield Wednesday boss Darren Moore feels his side ran out deserved winners as the Owls earned a 1-0 victory over Ipswich at Hillsborough.

In blustery conditions, Wednesday went 1-0 up in the sixth minute when Nathaniel Mendez-Laing picked out Marvin Johnson at the back post and he volleyed home superbly past Town keeper Christian Walton.

Wednesday failed to extend their lead and missed numerous second-half chances through Barry Bannan, Johnson and Mendez-Laing but held on for all three points and made it nine games unbeaten at home.

Moore said: “I don’t really remember them getting any clear-cut chances.

“It was a hard-fought three points against good opposition. I thought once we got the goal, we never lost the impetus and were always looking to be threatening.

“When they got in and around our 18-yard box we defended really well, we were solid and resolute.

“The goal came early so even though we broke forward to get the second goal, the concentration levels have still got to be spot on.

“They want spaces to work in to and I thought we nullified that, they worked hard today, the boys.”

Moore was pleased with the clean sheet his side earned after scoring early, the first since their 2-0 win over Crewe in December.

He said: “I could hear the messages on the pitch with the boys in the latter parts in the game when we couldn’t get the second goal, I could hear voices saying ‘clean sheet mentality’ which is what you want to hear.”

Moore also felt that his side worked hard as a collective after moving above Ipswich in League One .

“I don’t really like singling out individuals because collectively there were some big performances today in terms of the hard work the boys put in,” Moore said.
Ipswich lost ground on the play-offs after suffering defeat for the first time in three league games.

Despite defeat, Town boss Kieran McKenna was relatively pleased with the way his side played.

“I thought there were some positive aspects of the performance, we wanted to come here and take the ball, impose our football on the game and I thought we did that.

“We started the first seven or eight minutes really well, barely allowed them a kick and then the first time they got near our box it was a really good cross and they scored and that changes the complexion of the game.”

McKenna does not want to become obsessed with league permutations and wants to focus on improving performances on the pitch.

“We said from the start we were a long way off so we’re not going to obsess over results, we’re going to be obsessed with trying to get better performances and that should turn into results.”