A Gary Madine brace helped Sheffield Wednesday hammer Exeter to record a fifth straight home win.

The visitors almost took an early lead but Daniel Nardiello turned Matthew Whichelow's low cross just wide.

James O'Connor poked home his first of the season to give the Owls the advantage just before the break.

Madine then doubled the lead, heading in Ben Marshall's cross before grabbing his second from the penalty spot after he had been fouled by Danny Coles.

VIEWS FROM THE DRESSING ROOM

Sheffield Wednesday manager Gary Megson told BBC Radio Sheffield:

"I thought that was our best performance at home.

"Eventually the penny dropped, we started passing, getting the ball wide and once we got the first goal maybe Exeter's plan went out the window.

"Gary Madine has got a natural eye for the goal. He's got a talent for getting hold of the ball and he's now working a lot harder than he was, both in training and off the pitch, and he's getting his rewards for it."

Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale told BBC Radio Devon:

"Everything we know we're good at, we were good at today for 40 minutes. But we showed what we have to improve on as well.

"There's a fine line between a team where the players are driving forward on the fringe of confidence and them suddenly becoming confident.

"I can only do so much, I can only get that team on the field to start that way."

Lineup, Bookings (4) & Substitutions (6)

Sheffield Wed

  • 43 Bywater
  • 02 Buxton
  • 04 Batth Booked
  • 05 R Jones
  • 06 Semedo
  • 17 Johnson Booked
  • 08 Lines
  • 16 O'Connor
  • 10 Marshall (Palmer - 90' )
  • 14 Madine (Lowe - 89' )
  • 32 McGoldrick (O'Grady - 73' )

Substitutes

  • 23 O'Donnell
  • 03 Bennett
  • 12 Palmer
  • 09 O'Grady
  • 30 Lowe

Exeter

  • 01 Krysiak
  • 02 Tully
  • 05 Archibald-Henville (O'Flynn - 76' )
  • 06 Duffy
  • 11 Golbourne
  • 18 Coles
  • 04 Dunne
  • 08 Noble Booked
  • 34 Whichelow (Bauza - 57' )
  • 35 Taylor (Bennett - 77' )
  • 10 Nardiello Booked

Substitutes

  • 40 Pidgeley
  • 03 Jones
  • 26 Bennett
  • 19 O'Flynn
  • 21 Bauza
Ref: Drysdale
Att: 16,995

Match Stats

Shots

8 5

On target

3 1

Corners

3 3

Fouls

12 9

Live Text Commentary

93:01 Full time

Full Time The referee brings the game to a close.

90:00 +1:02

Shot on goal by David Noble from long range goes harmlessly over the target.

89:12 Substitution

Substitution Liam Palmer on for Ben Marshall.

88:05 Substitution

Substitution Ryan Lowe is brought on as a substitute for Gary Madine.

87:38

Gary Madine takes a shot. Blocked by Danny Coles.

85:53

The referee blows for offside. Free kick taken by David Noble.

84:04

Chris O'Grady concedes a free kick for a foul on Guillem Bauza. Artur Krysiak takes the free kick.

81:59

Rob Jones gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on John O'Flynn. Free kick crossed right-footed by David Noble from right wing, Chris Lines manages to make a clearance.

80:52

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Jose Vitor Semedo by Guillem Bauza. Direct free kick taken by Jose Vitor Semedo.

78:16

Outswinging corner taken by Ben Marshall.

78:11

Lewis Buxton crosses the ball, blocked by James Dunne.

77:41

Effort from outside the penalty area by Chris Lines goes wide left of the target.

76:12 Substitution

Substitution Scot Bennett on for Jake Taylor.

75:51 Substitution

Substitution John O'Flynn joins the action as a substitute, replacing Troy Archibald-Henville.

74:01 Goal scored

Goal - Gary Madine - Sheff Wed 3 - 0 Exeter Penalty taken right-footed by Gary Madine and scored. Sheff Wed 3-0 Exeter.

73:04

Steve Tully challenges Gary Madine unfairly and gives away a Penalty.

72:01 Substitution

Substitution Chris O'Grady comes on in place of David McGoldrick.

71:05

Guillem Bauza concedes a free kick for a foul on Gary Madine. Ben Marshall shoots direct from the free kick.

69:07

Corner taken right-footed by David Noble.

68:46

Jose Vitor Semedo gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on David Noble. Direct free kick taken by David Noble.

68:02

A cross is delivered by Jake Taylor.

66:57

Direct free kick taken by Richard Duffy.

66:57 Booking

Booking Reda Johnson goes into the book for unsporting behaviour.

66:35

Reda Johnson gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on James Dunne.

62:59

The ball is swung over by Jake Taylor.

61:06

The ball is sent over by Guillem Bauza.

58:54

A cross is delivered by Ben Marshall.

58:01

Danny Coles challenges David McGoldrick unfairly and gives away a free kick. Centre by Chris Lines, Close range headed effort by Gary Madine clears the crossbar.

56:37 Substitution

Substitution Guillem Bauza comes on in place of Matthew Whichelow.

55:32

Chris Lines has a direct shot on goal from the free kick.

55:32 Booking

Booking Booking for Daniel Nardiello for unsporting behaviour.

55:26

Daniel Nardiello concedes a free kick for a foul on Lewis Buxton.

53:18

James O'Connor delivers the ball.

51:38

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on James O'Connor by Scott Golbourne. Ben Marshall crosses the ball from the free kick right-footed from right wing, clearance made by Scott Golbourne.

50:45

Shot by Jake Taylor from outside the box goes over the net.

50:26

The assistant referee flags for offside against Gary Madine. Artur Krysiak takes the indirect free kick.

47:42

The ball is sent over by Steve Tully.

47:02

Corner taken by Ben Marshall, save by Artur Krysiak.

46:49

David McGoldrick takes a shot. Save by Artur Krysiak.

45:49

The referee blows for offside. Direct free kick taken by Richard Duffy.

45:01

The referee gets the second half underway.

45:00 +2:06 Half time

Half Time The ref blows to signal half-time.

44:26

Lewis Buxton takes the free kick.

44:26 Booking

Booking David Noble receives a caution.

44:17

Unfair challenge on Gary Madine by David Noble results in a free kick.

42:38 Goal scored

Goal - Gary Madine - Sheff Wed 2 - 0 Exeter Gary Madine finds the back of the net with a headed goal from inside the six-yard box. Sheff Wed 2-0 Exeter.

40:34

Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Ben Marshall from the left by-line.

39:16 Goal scored

Goal - James O'Connor - Sheff Wed 1 - 0 Exeter James O'Connor gets on the score sheet with a goal from close range to the bottom right corner of the goal. Sheff Wed 1-0 Exeter.

38:41

Jose Vitor Semedo fouled by Troy Archibald-Henville, the ref awards a free kick. Chris Lines restarts play with the free kick.

36:00

Jake Taylor is ruled offside. Stephen Bywater takes the indirect free kick.

35:01

Ben Marshall produces a cross.

32:56

Lewis Buxton delivers the ball.

31:48

Shot from just outside the box by Matthew Whichelow misses to the left of the target.

30:59

David Noble takes a outswinging corner to the near post, clearance by James O'Connor.

29:37

David Noble has a direct shot on goal from the free kick.

29:37 Booking

Booking Danny Batth receives a caution.

29:31

Foul by Danny Batth on Daniel Nardiello, free kick awarded.

27:47

The ball is sent over by Matthew Whichelow.

25:30

Jose Vitor Semedo gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Scott Golbourne. David Noble takes the direct free kick.

24:49

David McGoldrick is caught offside. Artur Krysiak restarts play with the free kick.

23:30

The referee penalises Daniel Nardiello for handball. Direct free kick taken by Lewis Buxton.

22:33

Scott Golbourne concedes a free kick for a foul on James O'Connor. Free kick taken by Stephen Bywater.

21:34

The referee blows for offside against David McGoldrick. Free kick taken by Artur Krysiak.

19:19

Free kick awarded for a foul by Lewis Buxton on Daniel Nardiello. Direct free kick taken by Danny Coles.

17:27

James O'Connor challenges Scott Golbourne unfairly and gives away a free kick. Artur Krysiak takes the direct free kick.

15:59

Foul by Rob Jones on Jake Taylor, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by David Noble.

14:30

The referee blows for offside against Jake Taylor. Stephen Bywater takes the indirect free kick.

13:13

Outswinging corner taken by David Noble from the right by-line.

12:01

Matthew Whichelow takes a shot. Rob Jones gets a block in.

10:10

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on James Dunne by James O'Connor. Richard Duffy restarts play with the free kick.

4:15

Daniel Nardiello is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Stephen Bywater restarts play with the free kick.

2:10

Richard Duffy fouled by Gary Madine, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Artur Krysiak.

1:19

The assistant referee flags for offside against James Dunne. Stephen Bywater restarts play with the free kick.

0:50

Unfair challenge on Richard Duffy by David McGoldrick results in a free kick. Free kick taken by David Noble.

0:00

The match begins.

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