Championship play-off hopefuls Sheffield Wednesday extended their unbeaten league run to 12 games after frustrating Stoke into a 0-0 draw at the bet365 Stadium.
Early chances were few and far between on a sunny Staffordshire afternoon as Tom Ince flashed a low shot across the face of goal for Stoke, while up the other end Barry Bannan’s daisy-cutter from distance was off target.
George Boyd had the ball in the back of the net on the half hour but after latching onto Gary Hooper’s pass and rounding Potters goalkeeper Jack Butland, Steve Bruce’s Owls were denied an opener through the linesman’s flag.
Stoke right-back Tom Edwards tried his luck shortly before half-time as Nathan Jones’ side pushed to open the scoring, running into space before bending his left-footed effort just beyond Keiren Westwood’s left-hand post.
After the break, Westwood came to Wednesday’s rescue when a sweeping counter-attack saw Ince feed Bojan inside the penalty area to go one-on-one with the Republic of Ireland international, who spread himself brilliantly to turn the ball around the post for a corner.
Just past the hour-mark, Westwood thwarted the hosts again, this time pulling off a fine low stop to keep out Benik Afobe’s header following on from Edwards’ inviting cross from the right.
The lively Ince was proving a thorn in the Hillsborough club’s side and after nearly controlling a lofted pass down the right, the midfielder cut inside but saw his effort charged down and deflected away for a corner.
Central defender Danny Batth was the next player go close for Stoke, powering a header which was sent wide after Thibaud Verlinden’s cross.
Bruce’s upwardly-moving men remain in play-off contention, just three points from the top six.
