Brighton vs Sheffield Wednesday match report: Seagulls left hanging on against promotion-chasing Wednesday

Brighton and Hove Albion 0 Sheffield Wednesday 0

Connor Goldson holds off Barry Bannan (Getty Images)

Brighton moved above Hull City into third place in the Championship but they missed a chance to record a fifth successive home victory and in the end were hanging on against a Sheffield Wednesday side who have promotion ambitions of their own. Wednesday, in sixth place, failed to record a first victory of the season over a club in the top five and a first win in five matches but after an unambitious first half, took the game to their hosts and had the better chances.

Wednesday made six changes to the team that had lost at home to Rotherham United at the weekend. Brighton made one in the wake of their goalless draw away to Preston North End, resting Beram Kayal and giving Steve Sidwell, on loan from Stoke City, his first home start for the club for 14 years.

Kick-off was delayed by 15 minutes after two road accidents near the stadium and even after play finally began the first half took time to get going. Wednesday pulled nine men back at any sign of danger and denied Brighton an inch of space, so it was no surprise that the only effort anywhere near goal in the opening 40 minutes was a long-range shot from Brighton's Jamie Murphy after 15 minutes that flew just over the crossbar. Sam Baldock and Liam Rosenior both got to the byline only to cross the ball too close to goalkeeper Kieren Westwood, and the only other chance came just before the interval when Murphy fired wide after a corner-kick.

Wednesday, though, could have been down to ten men after 36 minutes when Portugal forward Lucas Joao kicked out at Brighton defender Connor Goldson, but referee Darren Drysdale had his back to the incident, and after taking plenty of advice via his headset, showed a yellow card to Joao in what seemed to be a compromise.

Nothing was seen of the visitors in attack until the 51st minute but their first attempt at goal was worth waiting for, Barry Bannan's swerving shot from distance demanding a diving save from David Stockdale. Bannan, directing operations in midfield as well as sending a series of set plays into the Brighton penalty area, tested Stockdale again after 76 minutes with a long shot along the slick surface, Wednesday's attacks now more frequent and certainly more incisive than the home side's fruitless battering at their massed defence. Brighton hung on for a fourth successive clean sheet but in the context of their hopes of a top-two finish it will not have been much consolation.