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This dull Yorkshire derby will always be remembered for a controversial referee decision as sadly the football displayed by both sides is one to forget.

The talking point of the match was when Sheffield Wednesday's on-loan midfielder Jeremy Helen was allowed to stay on the field despite being shown two yellow cards by referee Mick Russell.

It has since come out that Russell has apologised for his mistake and stated that for the first yellow card he got Helen mixed up with Michail Antonio. The Professional Game Match Officials Limited has revealed they are now launching an investigation into what happened.

What surprises me and should also be taken into consideration is none of the other officials did anything about it.

The football sadly was nothing to remember. Neither side play particularly good football both sides just smacked it long with Wednesday, as like last season, being a rather physical and intimidating side.

There were five changes from the team that drew to Blackpool on Boxing Day at the John Smith's Stadium three days earlier. Murray Wallace made his first start in a Town shirt at left back for the injured Calum Woods. Another defender also back in the team was Joel Lynch, back from suspension, given the nod over Peter Clarke.

Chris Atkinson and Adam Hammill were given the opportunity ahead of Oliver Norwood and Sean Scannell and back from no where Simon Church partnered Jermaine Beckford up front instead of James Vaughan.

Church had an effort in the opening minutes of the match but his overhead kick was weak and landed straight into the hands of Wednesday goalkeeper Chris Kirkland.

At the other end Alex Smithies had to parry away Reda Johnson's cross from the left and then denied Helen with his legs minutes later as the midfielder burst into the Town penalty area too easily past Anthony Gerrard and Jack Hunt.

Town just hoofed the ball long but neither Beckford nor Church was going to win anything in the air against Wednesday's two giants of Miguel Llera and Anthony Gardner.

Then the controversial moments began. Helen was booked for a blatant dive as he ran into the Town penalty box on 9 minutes and on 25 minutes as Hammill was breaking forward Helen caught the winger with a late challenge. Helen was shown a second yellow but the red card didn't follow and despite the protest by both Town players and manager Simon Grayson, Helen was allowed to stay on the pitch.

Town's best chance of the half came two minutes before the break when Hunt's cross into the Wednesday penalty area was controlled and hit well by Church but the on-loan Reading striker was denied by the legs of the onrushing Kirkland.

Wednesday started the second half well but failed to make it count. Antonio firing harmlessly wide from the edge of the area but Antonio's pace nearly led to a goal when he beat Lynch and Wallace to cross for Gary Madine but the striker failed to connect with an open goal at his mercy.

Keith Southern headed straight at Kirkland after good work from Hammill and Beckford fired over on the turn from six yards out from sub Vaughan's knock down from a Town corner. To be fair to Beckford he was under pressure from a Wednesday defender.

Wednesday sub Mamady Sidibe came close twice to breaking the deadlock. One was a 25-yard power driver that swerved just over the bar and his second effort was a header from a Wednesday corner that forced Smithies into a good save.

At the death Vaughan could have snatched the winner but the striker fired wide on the volley from Paul Dixon's ball over the top.

Teams:

Town: Smithies, Hunt (Dixon 70), Gerrard, Lynch, Wallace, Hammill, Atkinson (Scannell 62), Southern, Clayton, Church (Vaughan 62), Beckford:
Subs not used: Bennett, P. Clarke, Norwood, Novak.

Sheffield Wednesday: Kirkland, Lee, Llera, Gardner, R. Johnson, Antonio (J. Johnson 88), Buxton, McCabe, Prutton, Helen, Madine (Sidibe 64).
Subs not used: Bywater, Taylor, Mattock, Corry, O'Grady.

Attendance: 17,694
Referee: Mick Russell.