Championship
Sheff WedSheffield Wednesday1LutonLuton Town0

Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 Luton Town: Harris goal sends Owls to top of the Championship

Kadeem Harris and Andrew Shinnie
Goalscorer Kadeem Harris holds off the challenge of Luton's Andrew Shinnie

Kadeem Harris's goal was enough to send Sheffield Wednesday to the top of the Championship with victory against Luton Town.

The winger pounced onto Steven Fletcher's knock-down header to score the only goal of a game which lacked quality after Jacob Murphy had floated the ball to the back post early in the second half.

The goal sparked a flurry of chances for Fletcher, who headed narrowly wide and had an effort ruled out for offside.

Wednesday managed to defend their slender advantage to retake the early lead at the top of the table as Luton - who are still without a league win since winning promotion - failed to capitalise on a solid first-half display at Hillsborough.

Andrew Shinnie had almost given Graeme Jones' side the lead after Owls keeper Keiren Westwood sliced his clearance straight to the winger.

Shinnie shot from distance as Westwood scrambled back to his line to tip the ball over the bar.

After the interval, Luton's defence began to struggle as Wednesday pushed and broke the deadlock with Harris' second goal of the season to earn them a third win from four league games.

The Hatters' night got worse when defender Martin Cranie was stretchered off with an injury and replaced by debutant Luke Bolton.

Last season's League One champions have taken only one point from their first four games, with their sole victory coming in the Carabao Cup.

Sheffield Wednesday caretaker manager Lee Bullen told BBC Radio Sheffield:

"We had one of two decent spells in the first half. We didn't really have the balance of play that we wanted.

"We had to change the way we structured the midfield three and it paid dividends really right from the start of the second half.

"Don't underestimate how big that three points is today. They are no mugs. It was a dug out three points, it wasn't fantastic.

"There's not many times I'm going to be more pleased this season than that three points because it proves another side of what we have got in that changing room."

Luton Town manager Graeme Jones told BBC Three Counties Radio:

"I feel like we deserved something from the game but we can't keep repeating that story.

"We need to win a game of football and that's where we are. We are together, the whole group, the staff, the players and we will get there.

"If playing in the Championship was easy, everybody would be doing it and they're not.

"We are there technically, tactically, physically and it's just that last mental step. Once we win a game of football in the Championship we will be absolutely fine."

Line-ups

Sheff Wed

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 1Westwood
  • 22Odubajo
  • 15Lees
  • 13Börner
  • 3Fox
  • 23HutchinsonBooked at 84mins
  • 10Bannan
  • 14Murphy
  • 20ReachSubstituted forWinnallat 78'minutes
  • 7K HarrisSubstituted forLeeat 88'minutes
  • 9FletcherBooked at 83minsSubstituted forLuongoat 85'minutes

Substitutes

  • 5Lee
  • 6Rhodes
  • 11Winnall
  • 21Luongo
  • 25Dawson
  • 26Bates
  • 45Forestieri

Luton

Formation 4-1-2-1-2

  • 12Sluga
  • 2CranieSubstituted forBoltonat 59'minutes
  • 6PearsonBooked at 50mins
  • 5Bradley
  • 26Bree
  • 29ButterfieldSubstituted forMpanzuat 74'minutes
  • 11Shinnie
  • 4Tunnicliffe
  • 19Collins
  • 25LuaLuaSubstituted forBrownat 69'minutes
  • 14Cornick

Substitutes

  • 10Lee
  • 17Mpanzu
  • 20Moncur
  • 22Bolton
  • 24Brown
  • 28Jones
  • 36Shea
Referee:
David Webb
Attendance:
23,353

Match Stats

Home TeamSheff WedAway TeamLuton
Possession
Home45%
Away55%
Shots
Home9
Away11
Shots on Target
Home3
Away2
Corners
Home3
Away8
Fouls
Home21
Away3

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Sheffield Wednesday 1, Luton Town 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Sheffield Wednesday 1, Luton Town 0.

  3. Post update

    Offside, Sheffield Wednesday. Jacob Murphy tries a through ball, but Sam Winnall is caught offside.

  4. Post update

    Attempt missed. Matty Pearson (Luton Town) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Isaiah Brown with a cross following a corner.

  5. Post update

    Corner, Luton Town. Conceded by Julian Börner.

  6. Post update

    Ryan Tunnicliffe (Luton Town) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  7. Post update

    Foul by Moses Odubajo (Sheffield Wednesday).

  8. Post update

    Attempt missed. Massimo Luongo (Sheffield Wednesday) right footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Kieran Lee.

  9. Post update

    Andrew Shinnie (Luton Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  10. Post update

    Foul by Massimo Luongo (Sheffield Wednesday).

  11. Substitution

    Substitution, Sheffield Wednesday. Kieran Lee replaces Kadeem Harris.

  12. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Jacob Murphy (Sheffield Wednesday) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

  13. Post update

    Matty Pearson (Luton Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  14. Post update

    Foul by Sam Winnall (Sheffield Wednesday).

  15. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Luke Bolton (Luton Town) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ryan Tunnicliffe.

  16. Substitution

    Substitution, Sheffield Wednesday. Massimo Luongo replaces Steven Fletcher.

  17. Post update

    Attempt missed. Jacob Murphy (Sheffield Wednesday) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Kadeem Harris following a fast break.

  18. Booking

    Sam Hutchinson (Sheffield Wednesday) is shown the yellow card.

  19. Post update

    James Bree (Luton Town) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  20. Post update

    Foul by Sam Hutchinson (Sheffield Wednesday).

As It Stood

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Sheff Wed43016249
2Leeds32106247
3Charlton32107437
4West Brom32105327
5Swansea32105327
6Millwall32103127
7Bristol City42116517
8Birmingham42114407
9Fulham32014226
10Blackburn420234-16
11Derby41215505
12Nottm Forest31115324
13Brentford31112204
14Middlesbrough411245-14
15Hull411245-14
16QPR311134-14
17Barnsley411236-34
18Preston31025413
19Reading31025503
20Cardiff310247-33
21Wigan410338-53
22Huddersfield301235-21
23Luton401358-31
24Stoke301247-31
View full Championship table