Matt Hamshaw backs Dave Challinor to succeed at Sheff Wed after Blackpool draw
Challinor watched from the stands as the 10-man Owls were held at Hillsborough.
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 25th minute 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 in the 40th minute for bundling over Tom Bloxham as the forward looked set to go through on goal.
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.
“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).”
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.”
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.”