OWLS OF JOY FOR LAWS

Laws - thrilled with dominant win.

Sheffield Wednesday manager Brian Laws was overjoyed with his side's 4-1 opening-day win over Burnley at Hillsborough.

Two goals apiece from Marcus Tudgay and Akpo Sodje were more than enough for Wednesday as they got off to a flying start.

"We made a poor start last season so we wanted to get a first win under our belts as quickly as possible," said Laws.

"It's early days but we're delighted.

"The strikers looked in good form. I thought that Marcus Tudgay was excellent and Akpo Sodje showed just what a player he can be for us."

An injury to Sodje was the only concern for Laws who said: "He's got a possible hamstring injury.

"He'll definitely not play on Tuesday but I don't know how long he'll be out."

Burnley boss Owen Coyle criticised his team's defensive display after they were pulled apart by a Wednesday side who scored three times in the opening 17 minutes.

"I thought the defending was nothing short of naive," said Coyle "Wednesday didn't have to work hard because they were soft goals.

"We took the game to Wednesday in the second half but it was too big an obstacle to overcome."

Only a trio of players were spared criticism by the Clarets boss.

"Martin Paterson did well, as did Stephen Jordan and Wade Elliott, but you're not going to win in the Championship with only three players," added Coyle.

"I am trying to strengthen up the back and Clarke Carlisle coming back next week will help us enormously."

Tudgay opened the scoring after 30 seconds when his shot took a deflection and looped over Burnley's debutant keeper Diego Penny.

Sodje put Wednesday 2-0 up in the fourth minute, hammering the ball passed Penny after an incisive pass from Deon Burton.

Martin Paterson pulled a goal back two minutes later, heading home at the near post from Elliott's right-wing cross.

Burton twice headed over in the space of a few minutes before Sodje made it 3-1. Jermaine Johnson crossed low to the far post where the unmarked Sodje tapped in from close range.

Burnley made a bright start to the second half and threatened to reduce the arrears. Chris McCann saw his 25-yard drive saved by Lee Grant and then Robbie Blake had a low driven free-kick deflected wide.

But Tudgay's second goal of the match killed off any hopes of a Burnley comeback. Leon Clarke slipped the ball to Tudgay who fired home despite Penny getting a hand to the ball.

In the closing stages Tudgay went close to completing his hat-trick when his shot was turned wide by Penny.