Wednesday Go Down At Donny

Wednesday's pre-season campaign came to an end with a defeat at the Keepmoat Stadium as James Coppinger's first-half strike gave Rovers a 1-0 victory over the Owls.

Alan Irvine's men showed more than they have in previous friendly outings this summer but they still couldn't find a victory against the Championship side.

Coppinger struck late in the first half to give the hosts the victory and leave the Owls going into their League One opener next weekend with a string of poor pre-season results.

Wednesdayites' worry may not be as bad as it could be though, with the Owls more than matching Doncaster for long spells.

There was also good news in the shape of Clinton Morrison, who made his first outing as an Owl as a substitute, showing plenty of promise in his debut showing since his summer arrival from Coventry City.

Paul Heffernan also got the nod to play against his former club alongside Marcus Tudgay in attack.

Wednesday created the most chances in an open first half, with Jermaine Johnson, Tudgay and Lewis Buxton all guilty of missing good chances.

In reply, former Blade Billy Sharp, in for a hostile reception from the 2,000-plus travelling Owls fans, had the best two chances for Rovers in the first half.

That was until Coppinger broke the deadlock just before half-time thanks to a neat finish from an acute angle to beat Richard O'Donnell.

Marcus Tudgay was taken off for a clash of heads too, Neil Mellor replacing him before half-time.

Heffernan and Johnson both came close to levelling for Wednesday early in the second half as the chances continued to come.

Morrison was introduced for Heffernan shortly after and the former Sky Blues mad had two good chances to make an instant impact but failed to find the back of the net both times.

It'll be encouraging for Wednesdayites to see Morrison finally playing though, and he should be involved in some way next weekend.

Rovers: Sullivan (G. Woods 46), J. O'Connor, Thomas (Fiarhurst 82), Dumbuya (Lockwood 46), Martis (Hird 46), Stock (Friend 46), M. Woods (Payne 46 (Clarke 88)), Gillett (Brooker 46), Coppinger (Brady 64), Hayter (Smith 64), Sharp (Shiels 46). Unused substitutes: Clarke.

Owls: O'Donnell (Jameson 46), Otsemobor, Purse, Buxton, Spurr (Jones 64), Johnson (Palmer 65), Coke, Potter (O' Connor 54), Teale (Sedgwick 54), Heffernan (Morrison 62), Tudgay (Mellor 29). Unused substitutes: Hinds, Boden.

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