Sheffield Wednesday 5 Norwich 1: Jordan Rhodes’ double sinks downtrodden Canaries at Hillsborough
Visitors now winless in four games as their playoffs run suffered a major dent, now nine points behind The Owls
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ALEX NEIL told his Norwich flops to “show some balls” after a Hillsborough humiliation.
A Jordan Rhodes double helped cement Wednesday’s place in the play-off spots after two defeats on the spin had hurt their Prem push.
But Canaries boss Neil was seething as his side’s surrender piled more pressure on him.
He fumed: “My players should be embarrassed about how they performed in a very important game.
“It’s time for them to show balls, starting at Bristol City on Tuesday.
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“There have been a few honest words spoken after that display.
“It’s going to be extremely hard for us to make the play-offs and I’ve got to look at the mentality of some of my players now.”
It was not exactly the last-chance saloon for Norwich but Neil’s side went into this clash knowing a defeat would seriously damage their play-off hopes. Norwich trailed their hosts in the table by just six points, but there looked to be a steely determination about them early on.
And Owls keeper Keiren Westwood was forced to make a frantic dash to the edge of his box to hack clear from the marauding Wes Hoolahan after only six minutes.
But City’s bright beginning was betrayed by an awful blunder from keeper John Ruddy on 15 minutes.
He fired a dreadful clearance to the feet of Ross Wallace, who promptly dispatched the ball into an empty net from nearly 40 yards.
It was a strike that gave Wednesday a real lift, and they doubled their lead eight minutes later.
Rhodes has hardly lit up Hillsborough since arriving on loan from Middlesbrough in January.
But he bagged his second goal in seven appearances for the Owls with a far-post header from Fernando Forestieri’s cross.
The Canaries were thrown a lifeline by Cameron Jerome, seven minutes before the break, when he nodded in after Steven Naismith’s shot looped up off a defender.
But three minutes later, the home side were firmly back in control — thanks to more sloppy defending.
Nobody picked up Morgan Fox at the far post as Forestieri floated over an inch-perfect corner and the former Charlton left-back headed home his first goal for the Owls.
Rhodes then pounced for his second — and his side’s fourth — after 54 minutes.
And it was only fitting that man-of-the-match Forestieri should save the best until last by curling in a 25-yard free-kick for No 5.
Owls boss Carlos Carvalhal said: “This was our best home performance of the season.
“The whole team was together and I am confident we can now go on to have a good finish to the season.”
