Bambo Diaby delivers Sheffield Wednesday pledge to supporters after Rotherham win | OneFootball

Highlights

Sheffield Wednesday defender Bambo Diaby has thanked Owls fans for standing by the team after they secured their first win of the Championship season against Rotherham United on Sunday.

The centre-back pledged that the side would "keep working and improving" as they look to build on that result under new boss Danny Rohl.

Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 Rotherham United

Wednesday produced by far and away their best performance since returning to the second tier as they fed off the Hillsborough crowd to secure comfortable victory over their South Yorkshire rivals.

Michael Smith's brace proved decisive - the towering forward was well-placed to convert the rebound from Anthony Musaba's effort in the 11th minute and then beat Millers keeper Viktor Johansson for a second time nine minutes before the break.

The result ends a 13-game winless run for the Owls and takes their points tally to six from 14 games. They remain bottom of the Championship and eight points adrift of safety but there is fresh hope under Rohl, who bagged the first victory of his management career against Rotherham.

Bambo Diaby's message to fans

There were strong performances across the pitch for Wednesday, not least in the backline as they kept just a third clean sheet of the season.

The back three of Di'Shon Bernard, Dominic Iorfa, and Diaby marshalled Rotherham's attacking players well - restricting them to just six shots, none of which were on target.

Diaby has been one of Wednesday's more impressive players since the international break and caught the eye again on Sunday. He finished with two tackles and three clearances as well as winning three of his four ground duels and five of his seven in the air, and completing 84% of his passes (Sofascore).

The start of the 2023/24 campaign has been a difficult period for Owls players and fans, and the Senegalese defender took to Twitter yesterday to thank supporters for sticking with the team and vow to keep working.

This can be the turning point for Sheffield Wednesday

You cannot underestimate the importance of this win for Wednesday.

It will be such a confidence and momentum boost to finally get that first Championship win - particularly so early in Rohl's tenure.

To secure the victory in such a convincing style will give the players and supporters faith that this can be a turning point, rather than a false dawn.

Hard work is, clearly going to be needed, and they still face a massive challenge to avoid relegation from the Championship this term but Sunday could well be a seminal moment in their season.

They face an injury-hit and managerless Bristol City up next while their last game before the international break comes at Hillsborough against a Millwall side struggling a little for form and still searching for a replacement to the recently departed Gary Rowett.