Sheffield Wednesday 0-2 Burnley: FLW reports as Clarets go top of Championship | OneFootball

Football League World reports as Burnley go top of the Championship with a 2-0 win at Sheffield Wednesday

Burnley have climbed to the very top of the Championship table, courtesy of a 2-0 triumph away at Sheffield Wednesday following goals from Jaidon Anthony and Josh Brownhill.

Scott Parker's men will remain top of the table until at least Sunday afternoon, when second-place Sunderland take on an inconsistent Hull City.

Sheffield Wednesday 0-2 Burnley

Burnley opened the scoring on 37 minutes through Jaidon Anthony, after Wednesday's Yan Valery failed to deal with a long ball, and was punished for his defensive mishap.

The man on loan from Bournemouth capitalised on the 25-year-old’s error and neatly tucked the ball away into the bottom corner, past a helpless James Beadle.

The away side had been in the ascendency in the game’s early exchanges, as Zian Flemming provided the game’s first shot on target after just two minutes, but Beadle was able to gather a relatively tame effort.

However, during what was an open first half, momentum soon shifted the Owls’ way, but Djeidi Gassama was denied a potential opportunity to open the scoring by an on-rushing James Trafford, who stood firm and cleared his lines after the forward was played in by Valentin following Kobacki’s neat play in the build-up.

The former PSG man was soon in the thick of the action yet again, and latched onto Marvin Johnson’s chipped ball over the top, but Trafford was able to stop the effort which came from a tight-angle.

The Clarets then looked to capitalise on their hosts’ missed opportunities, but Luca Koleosho could only direct his shot high and wide after the ball found its way to him following an over-hit Anthony cross.

Burnley’s top scorer, Brownhill, then looked to continue his fine form in front of goal, but saw his shot deflect wide for a corner.

From the resulting set-piece, Flemming, the man on loan from Millwall, couldn’t direct a header from inside the area goalwards, as Beadle’s goal survived another scare.

In an entertaining first-half, the momentum then swung back Wednesday’s way, as Danny Rohl’s side were awarded a free kick as Kobacki was fouled on the left-wing.

Scottish playmaker Barry Bannan then whipped in a delicious cross, and Ike Ugbo missed a golden opportunity to equalise, failing to hit the target despite having a free header.

But Kobacki was determined to continue to trouble the Clarets defence, and soon after Ugbo’s miss, the 23-year-old cut inside and aimed an effort towards goal, which England Under-21 international Trafford was able to gather.

And Wednesday would soon regret their lack of cutting edge in the final third when Anthony made the most of Valery’s defensive mistake to put the Lancashire outfit in the driving seat with a neat finish.

Prior to the half-time whistle, the Owls looked to level proceedings as Di’Shon Bernard sprayed the ball out wide well to Valery who found Gassama with his cross, but the forward could not get the ball out of his feet before being closed down, and another opportunity had evaded Rohl’s men.

Consequently, the Clarets held a 1-0 halftime lead.

Clinical Clarets go top of the league

In the early proceedings of the second half, the Owls did not appear downhearted by their one-goal deficit, as Marvin Johnson found himself in acres of space down the left-hand side.

However, Johnson’s cross evaded everyone and harmlessly sailed over Trafford’s goal.

Parker’s men would then show their clinical instincts as Brownhill scored his fifth Championship goal of the campaign to double his side’s lead.

Beadle initially did well to deny Flemming’s shot but was left helpless as Brownhill latched onto the rebound and fired home on 50 minutes to make it two.

A sinking feeling that the former Preston North End man’s goal had killed off any Wednesday hopes of gaining a point from the game quickly swept around Hillsborough, and the second half subsequently lacked the free-flowing football which had been on display from both sides in the opening 45 minutes.

As the Owls looked to claw themselves back into the game, Gassama fired an effort on goal which was confidently stopped by the safe hands of Trafford.

But after that, the momentum was firmly with the visitors, as Wednesday’s goal would go on to live a charmed life as Parker’s side went in search of a third.

Josh Laurent jumped highest and got onto the end of a cross, midway through the second half, but could only direct his header over the bar.

Substitute Jeremy Sarmiento came closest to adding a Clarets third, as his shot struck the woodwork following an Anthony free-kick which was initially well dealt with by Beadle.

The Owls searched for what would have been a consolation goal during the dying embers of the encounter, but late substitute Michael Smith first headed wide, before missing an open goal on the volley just moments later.

Parker’s men will enjoy the fact that they now sit top of the league after 10 games played, at least until the conclusion of tomorrow afternoon’s meeting between currently second placed Sunderland and Hull City.