Sheffield Wednesday tipped for “exciting times” under new boss Dave Challinor

Sheffield Wednesday caretaker manager Matt Hamshaw backed new manager Dave Challinor to bring “exciting times” to the club following Sunday’s “frustrating” 1-1 draw with Blackpool.

Challinor watched from the stands after it was announced pre-match that he had agreed to succeed Henrik Pedersen as Owls boss.

Davis Keillor-Dunn put the hosts ahead in the first half before substitute Jerry Yates equalised nine minutes from time.

Wednesday played for more than half the match with 10 men following Sil Swinkels’ straight red card.

For exclusive stories and all the detailed EFL news you need, subscribe to The Football League Paper website, digital edition, or newspaper from as little as 14p a day.

Exciting times

Hamshaw said: “Disappointed not to get three points.

“I thought first half we were really good, played with a lot more intensity, a lot more bite, a lot more forward-thinking play – I just thought we looked a real threat.

“I thought it was only going to be a matter of time before we get probably the second or third goals, and then Sil obviously got sent off.

“And I thought we handled the situation fairly well from then on in.

“So it’s just frustrating, really, that I think we should be sat here this week with six points (following Tuesday’s home draw with Cambridge United).”

On Challinor’s appointment, Hamshaw said: “He’s coming to an amazing club, first and foremost.

“Dave’s a real good bloke, he’s a good manager, he’s proven, and he’s going to enjoy it.

“He’s coming into a club that I think can achieve amazing things through this ownership.

“Good appointment, good manager and it’s going to be exciting times for the club.”

Match action

Challinor watched his new team make a solid start at Hillsborough as Keillor-Dunn put them ahead in the 25th minute.

The former Barnsley man pounced on a misplaced pass and ran from the centre circle unchallenged before firing a low shot which went inside Bailey Peacock-Farrell’s right-hand post.

The hosts found themselves a man down five minutes before the interval, however, when Swinkels was shown a straight red card after bundling over Tom Bloxham as the forward looked set to go through on goal.

Keillor-Dunn went close to scoring a second goal when his long-range effort forced a good save from Peacock-Farrell.

And then Blackpool substitute Yates, like Peacock-Farrell a former Wednesday loanee, equalised, poking the ball past Ashley Maynard-Brewer in the 81st minute following Albie Morgan’s cross.

Mason Burstow had one last chance to restore the Owls’ lead when he produced an audacious chip from distance, but Peacock-Farrell managed to claw it away.

Deserved

Blackpool boss Ian Evatt felt it was a deserved point for his team.

He said: “It was the least we deserved.

“The plan first half and the plan all week was to try and not give up too many chances, to be connected, to be compact, especially in the middle of the pitch, to play with an extra defender.

“We knew that we could provoke them to throw bodies forwards and then transition quick and counter-attack.

“We had opportunities first half by doing that.

“I thought the game-plan was excellent. You can’t account for mistakes like that (giving the ball away to Keillor-Dunn for Wednesday’s opener).

“It just seems to be our way that we make one critical mistake. And we get punished for it.

“But I was pleased with the way we reacted. We showed a good reset and showed some positivity after it and that got the man sent off.

“Then I thought we became a bit rushed and almost panicked at times that we needed to score immediately.

“We still had a long way to go in the game, and we just needed to go through some process.

“But look, I’m delighted that we got a point. We need to move forwards now and make sure we don’t take another step back.”

READ MORE: Sheffield Wednesday agree deal for Dave Challinor to become new manager