Russell Martin has urged his Southampton players to “make history” after equalling their best English Football League unbeaten run by thrashing Sheffield Wednesday 4-0.

Adam Armstrong scored and set up Che Adams, Ryan Fraser and Sekou Mara to mark Saints’ 19th league game without defeat. They moved into the automatic places for the first time since the opening day of the season, ahead of Ipswich’s evening kick-off.

The unbeaten run is only bettered in the club’s history by a 24-match spell in 1896 and 1897.

Martin said: “We are on an unbeaten run where I’m immensely proud of the players. It is incredible what they have achieved and we have to keep it going as long as possible.

“We have never gone ‘we need to chase Leicester and Ipswich’. We are concentrating on ourselves and we’ll see where it takes us.

“It has never been a conscious focus for us but I want them to go and make some history next week.

“I want them to be remembered for that. I want them to do it and it has been an incredible achievement.

“I told them that the biggest incentive was finishing the game in second, for how long who knows. But it is a reward for the hard work they have put in and we are really in the race and the hunt now.

“For the players to put themselves in that position of 20 games unbeaten in all competitions is amazing.

“The way they have done it has shown they are growing. It has been a pleasure to watch but it is now our job to keep them hungry.

“If they do it then we will be in with a really good chance of achieving what we wanted to achieve.”

Adams opened the scoring after collecting an Armstrong cross before rounding a defender and lashing into the bottom corner.

Armstrong got his goal on the counter after Stuart Armstrong fed him before the former Blackburn man brilliantly provided for Fraser and Mara to make it nine straight home victories at St Mary’s.

Martin said of Armstrong: “If he carries on going I will be happy either way.

“He’s been so good and probably playing in a position he doesn’t really want to play. He wants to be the number nine in the team but he’s playing a role he is playing so well in.

“The goals and the assists are what strikers get judged on but there is so much more to it than that with Adam.”

Wednesday boss Danny Rohl was previously an assistant at Saints and is crossing his fingers for his former employers in their automatic promotion hunt.

Rohl said: “It is a big challenge at the top of the table but when you see what they are doing they are a good team.

“Because of my past I cross my fingers for Southampton but it won’t be easy. If they do a job like today then they’ll stand a good chance.”

He added: “That was hard. Southampton played well. It was a game we had to perform well and make no mistakes.

“Everyone was convinced we could have taken something. It is different to three months ago when we came to games and thought there wasn’t a chance. We had the confidence to try something.

“This team is a different league to us. For us it is about staying in the league and for them it is the Premier League.

“All in all it was a deserved victory for Southampton.”

Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Rohl was grateful to Cameron Dawson after the goalkeeper’s penalty-saving heroics helped seal a 4-0 FA Cup win against Cardiff.

Dawson kept out quickfire spot-kicks from Cardiff skipper Ryan Wintle and Callum Robinson inside the opening seven minutes after Josh Windass had given Wednesday a second-minute lead.

The Owls keeper was in inspired form for his hometown club, pulling off a string of further saves to keep Cardiff at bay, while Romaine Sawyers’ own goal and Liam Palmer’s stunning volley put the Owls 3-0 up at half-time.

Cardiff were made to pay for a long list of squandered chances in either half and Owls substitute Mallik Wilks completed the scoring in added time.

Rohl said: “Cameron has shown in the past that he is there. Today he has saved two penalties, it was great.

“I always protect my players and in the past when there were some mistakes – I think today he showed he is ready.

“It was a performance everyone will speak about, but we won’t speak about individuals, it was just the team. The team did the job we have to do and that’s it.”

The Owls are enjoying a mini-revival under Rohl, who became the English Football League’s youngest manager when appointed as Xisco Munoz’s replacement in October.

This latest win was their sixth in nine games in all competitions and the 34-year-old German, who left out Barry Bannan and Bailey Cadamarteri, was delighted his side maintained their momentum.

“For sure, it was for me clear,” he said. “You always think after this tough period maybe some players need a rest.

“For me, it was about whether there was a risk and if there was we wouldn’t risk to play with some players.

“But my team did well for the result. It was OK, next round. Now it’s about keeping going, recovery and I’ve always spoken about the momentum. I want to keep this.”

Cardiff made six changes following their 2-1 win at QPR on New Year’s Day and in the absence of manager Erol Bulut, who had stayed at home due to illness, assistant Nikolaos Karydas was philosophical in defeat.

“Disappointed I cannot say because the result sometimes does not reflect the performance of the team,” Karydas said.

“We saw many positive things, especially in the second half. I cannot say as an excuse we missed a lot of players.”

On his side’s two missed penalties and a glut of other spurned chances, he added: “In football, you can expect anything. Even this is a part of the game.

“Maybe if we had scored the result would be opposite, but we have to accept it now and look forward to the next game.

“In football if you don’t score, you lose the game. You have to score. But we’ll say we are satisfied by the pictures that the players showed.”

Danny Rohl hailed his Sheffield Wednesday side’s defensive discipline as they held on for a vital 1-0 win over Preston.

The Owls picked up their fourth victory in seven games thanks to Marvin Johnson’s first-half strike but were forced to hang on for their win after George Byers was sent off late on.

Preston had nine shots, but only two on target, as they desperately searched for an equaliser but none came as they drop to 11th in the Championship table.

Wednesday remain in the relegation zone despite claiming three points at Deepdale and face high-flying Hull next on New Year’s Day.

“It was a really tough game for us, but I expected that exactly,” Wednesday manager Rohl said.

“A big topic in our chat before the game was the importance of defending – we knew we’d have to do a lot of that tonight.

“Our defending in and around our box was brilliant. We’ve put in a great performance and done really well to get a big three points.

“The performance was not the best at times, mainly due to some poor positioning I suppose, but the players really fought all night and that was fantastic to see.”

Wednesday were backed by over 5,000 fans who filled an end at Deepdale and were not dampened by the driving rain, or Preston’s brighter start to the match.

North End skipper Alan Browne went close with a thumping drive early on before Wednesday replied as Will Vaulks headed inches over as he darted in to meet Djeidi Gassama’s cross.

Preston went close again as Browne worked the ball tidily out to Duane Holmes, and he turned inside before drilling an angled effort just over the crossbar.

But it was Wednesday who went ahead after 27 minutes as Johnson coolly slotted past Freddie Woodman after racing on to Bailey Cadamarteri’s precise through-ball.

Rohl added: “This was massive for the fans too. I think there were more than 5,000 of them here tonight, and I enjoyed celebrating with them at the end.

“I think they all recognise exactly what we are trying to do now – they can all see how close we are.

“Maybe we were a little bit lucky to get all three points in the end, but again we showed lots of that fighting spirit and we did what we had to do.”

Preston spurned chance after chance in the second half, but were given a lifeline in the 85th minute when Byers was sent off for a challenge on Mads Frokjaer-Jensen.

However, North End still could not find a way through as the full-time whistle sparked jubilant scenes for the Wednesday players and their travelling faithful.

And while Wednesday will look to ride the high from their win, Preston boss Ryan Lowe has called on his side to bounce back as they prepare to go to Sunderland on Monday.

He said: “It’s a massively frustrating night.

“There was certainly no lack of effort and determination from my lads, and the commitment was definitely there.

“We just didn’t quite do enough in the final third and didn’t get people in the right areas enough.

“We didn’t put quality balls into the right areas, and that’s cost us in the end.

“It’s about us bouncing back now. We had good moments, but we’ve just not found the finish.”

Coventry manager Mark Robins was left fuming with the decision to send off Liam Kitching, which took some of the shine off his side’s 2-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday.

Kitching was shown a red card after the final whistle at the Coventry Building Society Arena after referee Oliver Langford judged him to have retaliated to being pushed by Wednesday’s Bambo Diaby, who was also sent off.

That controversial incident came after two goals from Tatsuhiro Sakamoto had guided the Sky Blues to their second straight win in the festive period.

Robins said: “I didn’t see what had happened, but I’ve seen it back now and I’m appealing that.

“There’s no way he can be sent off for that, no way.

“The kid’s come from behind him and it’s assault; he’s pushed him in his face, so where does he go?

“He can’t go anywhere because he’s come into his space, so he (Diaby) has pushed him, he’s then stuck his head on his head and Kitch hasn’t reacted.

“Whether he’s put his hands up to stop it, I don’t know, but it’s an attack, it’s ridiculous and then he’s come back for seconds, so 100 per cent I’m appealing it. I’m furious.

“What happened at the end can sort of detract from a performance that was actually pretty good.

“Two brilliant goals, well worked and well finished and Tatsu’s been doing that, he’s been growing in confidence, he’s taking shots now.”

It was a slightly scuffed finish with which Sakamoto gave Coventry the lead after 20 minutes when he was picked out by Haji Wright’s cut-back.

The Japan international sealed the points in the 89th minute with a fine finish past Cameron Dawson, not long before tempers boiled over following the end of the game.

Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Rohl said: “I think it was a fair-play game, there were not bad fouls or anything like this.

“It’s a hard decision, for both a red card after the game, but it’s the decision from the ref and we can’t change it.

“This is football but it’s not helpful for us at the moment because we’ve now got Callum (Paterson) out for the next games and Bambo out for the next games.

“I tried everything to bring some fresh legs in, but this is what our situation is at the moment, this is what we’ve been handed and it’s about preparing for our next game (at Preston), recovery and then going again.”

On his side’s performance, Rohl added: “I think you saw two different halves.

“First half, Coventry was the better team. We were not clinical in our transition in the first half, but in the second half I think we dominated the game.”

Carlos Carvalhal left Sheffield Wednesday on December 24, 2017 after two and a half years in charge at Hillsborough.

The Portuguese, who guided the Owls to the play-offs in his first two seasons at the helm, departed the Sky Bet Championship club by mutual consent on the back of a seven-game winless run.

His exit came just hours after chairman Dejphon Chansiri released a statement of support for his head coach after fans chanted for his dismissal in the wake of a 2-1 home defeat to Middlesbrough a day earlier.

Carvalhal said on Wednesday’s official website: “The chairman and myself talked after the game and we believed this was the correct timing to make this decision.

“Of course, I am very sad at this moment because I have enjoyed my two seasons and a half so much with Sheffield Wednesday.

“We had two fantastic seasons and two play-offs in a row but unfortunately we have not managed to replicate these positions this season.

“Now is the time to focus on the wonderful experiences I have enjoyed at Sheffield Wednesday and the friends I have made.”

Carvalhal’s exit came as something of a surprise given how quickly it followed an apparent vote of confidence from Chansiri.

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The Thai businessman, who appointed Carvalhal in 2015, added: “I would like to offer my sincere thanks to Carlos for the time, effort and commitment he has given Sheffield Wednesday over the last two and a half years.

“Both parties believe the time is right to go our separate ways. I maintain a huge amount of respect for Carlos as a coach and as a person and he will always be welcome at Hillsborough. I wish him every success in the future.”

Jos Luhukay was named the new Wednesday boss on January 5, 2018 and they finished 15th that season. They suffered relegation in 2020-21 but were promoted back to the Championship last season after a remarkable play-off semi-final comeback against Peterborough.

Carvalhal was quickly appointed by Swansea but failed to save them from Premier League relegation and left at the end of the season. He is currently manager of Greek side Olympiacos having been appointed earlier this month.

Cardiff manager Erol Bulut said his side showed fighting spirit after they beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 at Hillsborough.

The home side had taken the lead through Anthony Musaba and had the lion’s share of chances but two own goals from Akin Famewo ensured the Bluebirds claimed victory.

Bulut said: “Today we showed so much spirit. We showed we are a team and we are fighting for each other again. In recent weeks we haven’t been doing this and we want to start showing it as a team and today was a great start.

“We did so well to come back and get the three points. The Championship is hard work and there will be games like this all the way to the end of the season.”

Famewo deflected Karlan Grant’s driven cross-shot inside the far post for Cardiff’s first goal then sliced a clearance into his own net after keeper Cameron Dawson spilled a tame effort.

Bulut said: “Karlan has such a high work rate and is one of the best players we have in the team. I’m pleased for him and his involvement in the first goal, which was vital for us.

“In the Championship you can play nice football but you have to run a lot and fight a lot. We’ve had a lot of games like that and today was another one of them.

“We struggled in the first half but we showed determination and we managed to stay in the game at 1-0. The second half was much better and I think we deserved the three points in the end.

“We had a meeting with the team in the week and I will keep what was said between me and the players but it was positive. We are always looking to move forward.”

Wednesday boss Danny Rohl said his side played well but needed a second goal to kill the game.

Rohl said: “This is a hard one to take today, everyone is really disappointed. Last week we scored two late goals and this week it has happened to us.

“We needed the second goal today but just couldn’t get the final touch we needed.

“This was an unnecessary defeat; I think we controlled the game really well. For me, the performance was good but in the end it’s about the result.

“In the first half we were moving the ball well and we scored a fantastic goal. Anthony is gaining more and more confidence every week and I’m really pleased for him.

“Cardiff were lucky and we were unlucky with the own goals today. In the second half they had two moments and scored two goals but these things can happen.

“It is a shame to take the defeat but we will try and keep the momentum from the last few weeks. There are a lot of games coming and we will work hard in the next couple of days before Coventry.

“It was a big opportunity to gain points looking at other results from the teams around us but we can’t get stuck on this game; we have to move on quickly.”

Danny Rohl spoke of his pride as his Sheffield Wednesday side came from behind to beat Queens Park Rangers 2-1 in dramatic fashion.

Late goals from Bailey Cadamarteri and Anthony Musaba completed an incredible turnaround for Wednesday and gave the home side all three points in a vital game at the bottom of the Championship table.

Rohl said: “It was a hard game against an opponent who forced us to work very hard. I don’t think in the first half either team was better than the other; it was a very even game.

“Obviously we conceded the goal and it was very hard for us against a team like QPR because they were defending so deep.

“I spoke to the team at half-time and I said we need to play the ball forward more often. We had the feeling in the second half there was something in the game for us.

“We had to take a few players off because of injury so it was even more difficult for us and this makes me so proud of the team today.

“I have talked about what has made us successful in the last few games and it has all been about having the belief until the very end.

“We got the point against Leicester, the winner against Stoke and again today. I think this shows the character and personality we have in our team.

“We could have been happy with 1-1 but there was a feeling in the stadium. Our crowd at home is fantastic and they pushed us over the line again today.

“I am so proud of the whole team. Right now everyone is working at the very limit to give the best they can for the club.”

QPR manager Marti Cifuentes felt his side needed to do more to kill the game off when they were ahead at Hillsborough.

“I am disappointed in the way we managed the last 15 minutes of the game,” he said. “We can’t lead for so long and then concede two goals like that.

“We had a clear chance to kill the game and in these moments we must take advantage. We didn’t score the second but these things can happen.

“In the past two games we have had opportunities to take big steps forward and we have not taken them. The performances have been good but we haven’t got the results we wanted.

“We have let Sheffield Wednesday get a hold of the game. They were 1-0 down at home in an important game; we had to do more to frustrate them.

“I think today we weren’t able to play the way we would have liked to. In the second half we had a few good periods of possession but we didn’t do enough to score.

“We are frustrated with the result but we need to be calm and united and stay together. We need to remind ourselves we were leading away from home for 85 minutes.

“We will take the positives but at the same time we will analyse what we need to do better. Over the festive period we have four games in 10 days and we need to make sure everyone is ready.”

Alex Neil admits he is “letting down” Stoke owner John Coates after substitute Anthony Musaba’s stoppage-time winner for revitalised Sheffield Wednesday heaped more pressure on City’s beleaguered boss.

Musaba’s 91st-minute goal lifted the Owls off the foot of the Championship table and inflicted a fourth successive defeat on Neil’s side.

Ryan Mmaee also saw a second-half penalty saved by Cameron Dawson as the Owls gained a first away win of the campaign, making it seven points from a possible nine.

Furious Stoke supporters chanted ‘sacked in the morning’  as Wednesday followers hailed the latest achievement of German manager Danny Rohl.

“John has been nothing but supportive to me since I have been here,” said Neil. “He is one of the best owners in the game.

“I feel at the moment I have let John down and that is probably the sorest thing for me. I came here to do well but ultimately of late we have not won enough games.

“I need to take my medicine and get on with it. I can assure everyone I am doing my best and utmost to make the right decisions.

“I feel at the moment every decision I am making is going the wrong way. When people describe things as a lonely place being a manager, this probably epitomised it.

“But everything is salvageable. We are not even at Christmas yet,” added Neill who reiterated his midweek declaration he would rather die than quit.

However, he added: “This is my hardest job to this point. But it makes me more determined to double down and try to see it through. Ultimately, that is not going to be my decision.”

Neil admitted Dawson’s spot-kick save was the turning point of a largely disappointing game between two teams at the wrong end of the second tier.

“We didn’t take the opportunity and somehow we managed to throw the game away and lose it. That has been a common theme far too often.”

Wednesday are now unbeaten in three and Rohl smiled: “It is fantastic at the moment but there is a long way to go.

“It was a tough one to get something here. But I told my players we had firstly to stay in the game and then there will be the right time to be more offensive and attack them more.

“We had a fantastic moment and it (the penalty save) was a key moment for us.

“In the past it hasn’t always been easy for Cameron. He has had some negative voices against him but he saved a point against Leicester and was the hero of the key moment.”

Rohl also had praise for match-winner Musaba.

He said: “I always believe in my players. He has missed some chances in the past but he was the guy who decided the game.

“It is always disappointing for players when they are not in the starting XI. But I told them to be ready Everyone is understanding what it means to be part of a team. It is not a one-man show. We believe in what we are doing.”

Victory lifted Wednesday off the foot of the table and Rohl added: “It is a small step but it is a huge step also and our confidence is growing more and more,.”

Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl believes his side’s reaction to losing their lead highlights their growth as the Championship strugglers stunned Blackburn 3-1.

Bailey Cadamarteri’s opener was cancelled out by Sammie Szmodics, but Marvin Johnson and Josh Windass struck in the last 12 minutes to earn the division’s bottom club only their second win of the campaign.

Wednesday had scored in stoppage time in midweek to hold leaders Leicester and their latest late show left Rohl delighted with his side’s progress.

Rohl said: “My team fight until the end and they believe in what we are doing. I’m so happy to take the points today.

“We spoke in the past about what happens if we concede a goal. When you look back to the Millwall game, we conceded a goal and then it was maybe not much energy in the group, but now you see we improve this mentally.

“After the defeat in Birmingham, now we took four points and I think this is a huge step forward.

“I try to show my players every day that we have to believe and that I’m convinced in my players.

“Maybe it’s sometimes helpful to come from some big clubs because then you have a little bit of the winning DNA in yourself and you always believe in the special things you can do.”

To compound Blackburn’s misery, manager Jon Dahl Tomasson was shown a red card following protests to the match officials over an incident involving James Hill and Callum Paterson in the build-up to Wednesday’s second goal.

Blackburn skipper Szmodics faced the post-match interviews in the manager’s absence but could not shed further light on the incident.

“I’ve not seen it,” he said.

“There’s a ref, two linesmen and a fourth official. It’s hard to speak this early after a game. I don’t want to get in any more trouble. The gaffer has got into trouble with it.

“It’s tough at the minute. You don’t know if you can go and speak to referees or not. I’ll let people look back at the goal and make their decision.”

Szmodics, who scored his seventh goal in five games, felt the scoreline was harsh on the visitors.

He said: “I don’t think it should have been a 3-1. We‘ve got back into the game with a goal and it just wasn’t to be today.

“The gaffer said at half time that we created chances. We just needed to take one and in the first half we didn’t. In the second half we got back into it, but it wasn’t our day.

“It was one of the few headers I’ve ever scored. I should have volleyed it but I went down early and managed to get enough power into it.”

“We’ll recover and get to go again.”

Championship bottom club Sheffield Wednesday recorded just their second win of the season as they beat Blackburn 3-1 at Hillsborough.

Bailey Cadamarteri, Marvin Johnson and Josh Windass were on target as the hosts ended the four-match winless run they had endured since they broke their duck against Rotherham in late October.

The in-form Sammie Szmodics had scored an equaliser for the visitors, who would have moved into the play-off places with a win.

Wednesday boss Danny Rohl handed a recall to Windass after suspension, with Johnson making way.

The Blackburn line-up showed two changes with Harry Leonard and Scott Wharton coming in while Tyrhys Dolan and Lewis Travis missed out through injury and suspension respectively.

There was an early blow for the hosts when Dominic Iorfa pulled up inside the opening minute with an injury. After receiving treatment, he was forced to go off.

Cadamarteri, the son of former Everton and Sheffield United striker Danny, opened his senior goalscoring account as he gave the Owls the lead after just five minutes.

On his second senior start, the 18-year-old produced a good near-post finish after connecting with Windass’ low cross.

Blackburn’s Callum Brittain fired off target with an effort from inside the area as the visitors tried to respond.

But Windass threatened twice in quick succession, first with a long-range shot which was well saved by by Leopold Wahlstedt and then seeing an effort blocked.

George Byers also tested Wahlstedt, with the keeper getting down low to his left to make the save.

Blackburn enjoyed a good spell towards the end of the half.

Di’Shon Bernard did well to intercept and clear when Harry Pickering played a dangerous ball across the face of goal. Hayden Carter then had a shot blocked by Bambo Diaby before Szmodics had a couple of chances, seeing a shot on the turn saved by Cameron Dawson and then having an angled effort comfortably saved.

Cadamarteri had a good chance to score soon after the interval, firing straight at Wahlstedt after receiving a pass from Barry Bannan.

Szmodics equalised in the 65th minute when he met James Hill’s cross with a far-post header to score his seventh goal in five appearances.

But Wednesday regained the lead with 12 minutes left when half-time substitute Johnson made a driving run into the area and fired hard and low into the bottom corner.

To add to Blackburn’s woes, manager Jon Dahl Tomasson was shown a red card after protesting to the match officials following the goal.

Wednesday added a third goal in added time when Szmodics’ shot was charged down and the ball fell to Windass, who ran from his own half before slotting past the advancing Wahlstedt.

Danny Rohl hailed a “massive” point for Sheffield Wednesday and urged everyone to keep believing in his team after they came from behind to secure a 1-1 draw against leaders Leicester.

The Owls, bottom of the Championship, levelled with a stoppage-time equaliser from Jeff Hendrick after the visitors had led through Abdul Fatawu’s first-half goal.

Rohl said: “Our players did so very well today. When you look how we played against the first of the table, how we pressed and how we played football.

“We had two big chances after five minutes to go in the lead. We believed in our match-plan and we did well.

“It’s a good feeling at the end that we had a happy end. It’s important that everybody is believing in us, supporting us and sometimes being a little bit patient.

“I know that sometimes it looks a little bit calm but we need this calmness to prepare the next action.

“My players did very well. It was good energy. It’s not easy when you play a team with so much quality. It’s a Premier League team. We fight for everything.

“It is massive for us. I believe in my players and I believe in the club. I’m in the right place and I enjoy every single day. I’m looking to Saturday to do it again.

“We deserved it. We pressed at the right moment and prepared good actions.

“At the end, I take the point for sure. I think it was deserved and it is great to see how we can work as a team together.”

Leicester’s lead came on 28 minutes when Stephy Mavididi sent over a cross from the left which went all the way to the unmarked Fatawu at the far post and he chested the ball down before firing past keeper Cameron Dawson.

The equaliser came in the third minute of time added on when the ball was lofted into the area and Callum Paterson’s cushioned header fell perfectly into the path of Hendrick who finished with ease.

Leicester manager Enzo Maresca was not too down-hearted with the result.

He said: “Championship games, they never finish. Sometimes we can concede, like tonight. That’s been a shame because the game was almost finished. At the end we concede.

“We try always but we know it’s not easy because sometimes, even if you see the table tonight, the first against the last, but it’s complicated.

“This team draw away against Leeds so you never know. I think we controlled the game but at the end we then concede the draw.

“For sure we could do something better, no doubt, on the ball and off the ball, but it is what it is.

“Still top but this is a long race. In less than 72 hours, we have one more game. Now it is a matter of recovery. The most important thing is to recover the energy.

“We could do many things better. We create some chances where we need to be a bit more clinical. I think at two-nil the game is finished – we kill the game.

“The idea was to allow players to recover for the next game. You need to refresh.”

Struggling Sheffield Wednesday snatched a stoppage-time equaliser against Championship leaders Leicester in a 1-1 draw at Hillsborough.

Jeff Hendrick netted in the third minute of injury time to earn bottom side Wednesday a deserved point after a spirited performance following Abdul Fatawu’s 23rd-minute opener for the Foxes.

Wednesday skipper Barry Bannan spurned a golden opportunity inside the opening 30 seconds, dragging his shot wide after finding himself through on goal following a mistake from Ricardo Pereira.

Callum Paterson threatened to punish another defensive lapse minutes later, with Bannan again involved before the striker saw his effort blocked.

Another chance came Wednesday’s way when a Will Vaulks free-kick was met by Bambo Diaby, whose header was comfortably saved by Mads Hermansen.

Leicester’s lead came when Stephy Mavididi sent over a cross from the left which went all the way to the unmarked Fatawu at the far post and he chested the ball down before firing past keeper Cameron Dawson.

Bailey Cadamarteri had a chance in the latter stages of the half when the ball fell to him but his well-struck shot was blocked.

Wednesday’s George Byers then had a tame effort easily saved by Hermansen after the break as the hosts continued to threaten.

Kasey McAteer had a chance to extend Leicester’s lead late on but he poked the ball wide after receiving a pass from Jamie Vardy.

Wednesday’s Marvin Johnson then fired in a low shot but it was straight at Hermansen.

But the equaliser came in the third minute of time added on when the ball was lofted into the area and Paterson’s cushioned header fell perfectly into the path of Hendrick who finished with ease.

Jannik Vestergaard threatened to score with a header at the death, forcing Dawson to make an important save to preserve an impressive point for Danny Rohl’s side.

Two football fans were arrested during Birmingham’s home match with Sheffield Wednesday for alleged misogynistic chanting towards referee Rebecca Welch.

Birmingham won the Sky Bet Championship fixture 2-1, which earned new manager Wayne Rooney his maiden victory in charge of the club.

It was overshadowed by news of two 17-year-olds being arrested for alleged chants towards Welch, who made history in January when she became the first woman to officiate a Championship match after she took charge of Birmingham’s clash with Preston.

“We have arrested two boys for misogynistic chanting at the female referee during Birmingham City’s home game at St Andrew’s today,” a statement from West Midlands Police read.

“Our officers heard the chants being directed at the official and acted quickly to arrest the two, who are both 17.

“They are currently in custody on suspicion of a public order offence as we carry out enquiries. We don’t tolerate any form of hate and it is important hate crime is reported to us.

“Today is White Ribbon Day which is the start of a 16-day long campaign. It focuses on everyone, especially men and boys on what they can do to change the behaviour and culture that leads to abuse and violence against women and girls.”

The PA news agency has contacted Birmingham for comment.

The club did warn supporters on Friday about their behaviour towards match officials.

A statement ahead of the Sheffield Wednesday fixture highlighted how Welch faced “sexist and misogynistic” chants during her previous match at St Andrew’s against Preston.

“The Sky Bet Championship match on Saturday 25 November, kick-off 3pm, will be officiated by Rebecca Welch. Unfortunately, when she last refereed at St Andrew’s, the club received several reports of sexist and misogynistic abuse aimed at the official,” a Birmingham statement on Friday.

“This will not be tolerated and any individual reported for such behaviour will be asked to leave their seat by stewards.

“Furthermore, in accordance with the club’s behaviour matrix, foul and abusive language carries a potential ban of up to four matches, with discriminatory and hate speech being punishable with a maximum ban of five years.”

Wayne Rooney collected his first win as Birmingham manager after a 2-1 comeback win against the Sky Bet Championship’s bottom club Sheffield Wednesday at St Andrew’s.

Substitute Jordan James’s grabbed the 82nd-minute winner after Juninho Bacuna’s 48th-minute equaliser cancelled out George Byers’s opener four minutes earlier.

Victory was Rooney’s first win in English football since April last year when his Derby side won 2-0 at Blackpool, while new Wednesday boss Danny Rohl has now lost five of his first six games.

Birmingham bounced back after the break after Wednesday had been the better side in the first half.

Wednesday started better and the lively Mallik Wilks dispossessed goalkeeper John Ruddy before firing just wide.

The hosts’ first chance came when Bacuna unleashed a 25-yard drive that was deflected inches off target by Bambo Diaby.

But they struggled to create opportunities for the rest of the half as Wednesday pinned them back.

Birmingham seemed to be their own worst enemies and they conceded three consecutive corners, Lee Buchanan heading behind the second one after Ruddy was unable to get a firm hand to the ball.

Birmingham’s hearts were in their mouths when referee Rebecca Welch put her whistle to her lips after Josh Windass fell in the penalty area as Ethan Laird closed him down.

But, instead of blowing for a penalty, she booked the forward for diving, replays confirming the simulation.

Wednesday continued to threaten and Windass missed their best chance to date when he side-footed wide from Barry Bannan’s cross.

Birmingham were frustrated by two Wednesday challenges which resulted in bookings – Wilks for body-checking Ethan Laird after he was nutmegged then Bannan for bringing down Siriki Dembele.

The goal Wednesday had been threatening came in the 44th minute when Windass’s superb curling free-kick hit the post and Byers tapped home the rebound for his first since February.

But the visitors’ lead lasted just three minutes before Bacuna equalised with a half volley from 22 yards after Wednesday failed to clear Koji Miyoshi’s corner, with Dominic Iorfa and Akin Famewo getting faint touches.

Birmingham improved after the restart and Jay Stansfield’s angled drive was deflected wide off Diaby, before Buchanan curled his shot over the bar.

Blues remained on top and Dembele’s half volley brushed the side-netting.

Nothing had been seen of Wednesday’s attack until the hour until Marvin Johnson’s shot on the turn, but the substitute’s effort sailed straight at Ruddy.

But James turned into something of a super-sub when he scored the winner just four minutes after replacing Bacuna.

The Wales international rounded goalkeeper Cameron Dawson to tap home the winner when his first shot had been blocked following Stansfield’s cross.

A football fan who mocked mascot Bradley Lowery during a match against the youngster’s favourite team has been spared immediate jail by a judge who said his actions were “utterly appalling” and “disgraceful”.

Sheffield Wednesday fan Dale Houghton, 32, taunted Sunderland fans with a picture of Bradley, who died in 2017, on his phone during a match at Hillsborough Stadium on September.

Houghton, from Rotherham, admitted a public order offence at a previous hearing and on Friday he was given a 12-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work by District Judge Marcus Waite.

Mr Waite said: “You showed callous disrespect to a brave young man who was righty held in the highest esteem by football fans everywhere.”