BBC SPORT | Football | Eng Div 1 | Sheff Wed 0-0 Stoke

Goalkeeper Neil Cutler produced a string of good saves to earn newly-promoted Stoke a point at Sheffield Wednesday.

The home side, though missing summer signings Lloyd Owusu and Leon Knight up front, still created enough chances to have secured victory.

Leigh Bromby's second-half header from just three yards brought the best of the saves from former Aston Villa reserve keeper Cutler.

And twice inside a minute the Owls were denied when they tested Cutler from long range.

First Alan Quinn struck a right-footed effort from 25 yards, then the keeper saw Gerald Sibon's 30-yard free-kick late as it came through the wall but still managed to get down smartly.

Surprised

Simon Donnelly missed a good chance after 64 minutes when Derek Geary's cross presented him with a headed chance with Cutler exposed, but his effort went over.

Bjarni Gudjonsson (left) goes past Sheffield Wednesday's Simon Donnelly.
Stoke's Gudjonsson goes past Simon Donnelly
Stoke midfielder Kris Commons twice came close to marking his debut with a goal in the first half.

He surprised goalkeeper Kevin Pressman with a shot from just inside his own half that only just cleared the crossbar.

Three minutes before the break he struck a powerful effort that beat Pressman but came back off the woodwork.

Wednesday dominated for a spell in the first half, Sibon forcing Cutler to tip round his low shot at full stretch.

And when Shefki Kuqi set up Quinn in a crowded penalty area, the goalkeeper again got down well to keep out the effort from six yards.

Stoke, weakened up front by the absence of summer signing Chris Greenacre, relied on Chris Iwelumo for their main goal threat.

He almost gave them an early lead when his shot from 20 yards was saved, and felt he was denied a penalty late on when Trond Egil Soltvedt challenged him to substitute Brian Wilson's cross.


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