Steve Watson came off the bench to grab Sheffield Wednesday a 1-1 draw at Swansea.
Steve Watson came off the bench to grab Sheffield Wednesday a 1-1 draw at Swansea.
Veteran Watson had barely been on the pitch for a minute, before he rose to meet Marcus Tudgay's cross and cancel out Ferrie Bodde's sensational opener for the Swans.
Bodde produced the one true moment of class in an otherwise forgettable first half by steering home a sublime long-range effort and the Swans will count themselves unfortunate not to emerge with all three points.
The match got off to a lively start with both goalkeepers tested inside the opening five minutes.
Wednesday's Dutch winger Etienne Esajas drilled a left-footed effort from the edge of the box but Dorus De Vries did well to get down and take.
Then moments later Thomas Butler produced Swansea's first opportunity only to see his attempt blocked.
Esajas again was providing the visitors' main threat and he tried his luck in the 20th minute, but again De Vries was equal to his effort.
Marcus Tudgay should have done better when allowed a free header from James O'Connor's free-kick, but he could not direct his attempt goalwards.
Jason Scotland came close just before the half-hour mark but his left-footed effort from the left edge of the box lacked conviction and rolled harmlessly into the arms of Lee Grant.
Breakthrough
But the home side found the breakthrough out of nowhere, through a fantastic individual effort.
Bodde picked up the ball 25 yards from goal before lashing a right-footed piledriver across the face of goal and low into Grant's right-hand corner.
Swansea looked a different side after the restart and came out rejuvenated.
Ashley Williams had a glorious chance to double their lead just moments into the second period but somehow glanced his header wide of the mark from just six yards.
The let-off spurred Wednesday on and they looked set to level when Esajas' corner was met by Deon Burton in the area, but Bodde was back to put in a crucial challenge.
Laws brought on wing man Jermaine Johnson for Smith in an attempt to inject some pace in the Owls attack.
But they were on the backfoot again in the 63rd minute when Williams connected with Butler's corner and planted his header onto the foot of the post.
Angel Rangel was next to try his luck for the Swans who had now hit top gear, his shot drifting narrowly over the target.
And Grant was thankful to see Garry Monk's aimed straight at him after another flowing Swansea move moments later.
Equaliser
Just as the first goal came against the run of play, so did Wednesday's equaliser.
Tudgay supplied the inch-perfect ball from the right flank and Watson, only brought onto the pitch a minute earlier, rose highest to power a header past De Vries.
It was Wednesday who finished the match the stronger as they pushed for a winner. In the 79th minute O'Connor's corner found Johnson, only for De Vries to get down expertly to parry his header to safety.
