Bannan brilliance helps Wednesday down Derby
Danny Rohl pinpointed Barry Bannan as a characterisation of a battling Sheffield Wednesday performance after his fine finish in a 2-1 win over Derby County in the EFL Championship.
Ebou Adams needed just nine minutes to open the scoring for Paul Warne's hosts at Pride Park, only for Wednesday to turn things around after the interval.
Bannan started the revival with a sumptuous left-footed effort, chipping over the stranded Jacob Widell Zetterstrom and into the top-left corner.
Jamal Lowe then snatched victory in the dying seconds, powering Wednesday to back-to-back league victories for the first time this season.
Rohl highlighted the role of Bannan in particular, lauding his desire to drag the Owls through hard-fought encounters.
"Barry is the same age as me and I can't run around like him," Rohl said. "He is the character of the team in a way.
"He shows brilliant willingness and desire to try and make things happen. After we went behind, step by step, we came back into it. We got a little bit more control.
"But while I'm happy with the result, I'm not happy with the performance. We need to do better overall, especially in a division as tough as this.
"It is a credit to my players that they came through. But I know we also need to improve and do better in certain aspects."
Jerry Yates had earlier spurned a brilliant opportunity to put Derby 2-0 up, with that miss coming back to haunt Warne's side, which is 15th and three places behind Wednesday.
"We created enough to win the game handsomely," Warne said. "I know people are frustrated with me but I've even had members of their staff, not apologise to me, but say that we didn't deserve that.
"We needed that second goal and we couldn't get it. Yes, we lost a little bit of control but overall I thought we did excellently. The lads are devastated in that dressing room.
"They are lower than a snake's belly in there so, because I think overall they've done really well, it's up to us to stay positive and bring that positivity to them.
"Honestly, I don't think I've ever felt this sorry from a defeat before because overall I thought the lads did great."
Like Rohl, Warne also praised the skill of Bannan's glorious leveller from 25 yards out.
"We just needed that second goal and unfortunately it remained elusive," Warne added.
"I thought it would take a wonder goal to get them back in it and Barry is probably the only player on the pitch who could have scored one like he did."
