Football: Bright steals limelight in final rehearsal

Sheffield Wednesday. . .1

Arsenal. . . . . . . . .0

WEDNESDAY gained some revenge for their defeat by Arsenal in the Coca-Cola Cup final, but as a taste of their next joint visit to Wembley in nine days' time, this could hardly be described as the Real Thing.

The demands on players of the fixtures log-jam caused by their cup runs and the managers' desires to keep something up their sleeves meant there were too many understudies in the cast to make this a dress-rehearsal for the FA Cup final.

Trevor Francis confirmed that Paul Warhurst has broken a wrist in training and will miss the side's last two Premier League matches, but added that the striker is expected to play in the Cup final, with a light plaster over the fracture. Francis also rested Chris Woods and Carlton Palmer, although the man who would be in most people's England side, Chris Waddle, returned from injury to play 10 minutes as substitute.

David O'Leary was the only member of Arsenal's Coca-Cola Cup winning side on duty, but the goalkeeper Alan Miller showed first-team credentials by deflecting Mark Bright's shot after the lively Michael Williams had invited the striker to pick his spot, and he denied the same player again moments later.

But it was third time lucky for Bright when he met Graham Hyde's cross with a back-header that looped over the goalkeeper.

Arsenal should have equalised when Jimmy Carter found himself with only Kevin Pressman to beat, but it was the turn of Wednesday's stand-in goalkeeper to make a vital deflection.

For long spells, however, the football was as makeshift as the team selection and neither goalkeeper saw active service again until well into the second half. Pressman reacted quickly after Alan Smith broke free of Simon Stewart and Miller palmed away Chris Bart-Williams' header at the foot of a post.

Sheffield Wednesday: Pressman; Harkes, King, Hyde, Anderson, Stewart, Williams, Jones (Waddle, 80), Bright, Bart-Williams (Jemson, 72), Sheridan. Substitute not used: Key (gk).

Arsenal: Miller; Lydersen (Flatts, 74), Keown, Marshall, O'Leary, Bould, Jensen (McGowan, 60), Selley, Smith, Heaney, Carter. Substitute not used: Will (gk).

Referee: R Hart (Darlington).