Sheffield Wednesday's biggest problem laid bare as League One promotion battle intensifies

Sheffield Wednesday were brought back down to earth with an almighty thud by relegation-threatened Lincoln City.

In front of a raucous crowd at the LNER Stadium, the Imps turned the form book upside down to dent the Owls' promotion aspirations.

Former Doncaster Rovers striker John Marquis, who Darren Moore sold to Portsmouth three years ago, was the star of the show. He hit a brace and Arsenal loanee Brooke Norton-Cuffy also registered as Lincoln halted a three-match losing run.

It was a below-par showing from the Owls and gives Moore plenty of food for thought heading into the final 11 matches of the season.

Here are five talking points from the League One clash.

Wednesday made a sluggish start, conceding from a corner in the third minute. Marquis shrugged off the attentions of Sam Hutchinson to poke home from close range to get Lincoln off to a flyer.

It was slack marking from the set play and means Wednesday have now conceded 15 goals from dead ball situations this season. Lessons are not being learnt.

It was alarming how open at times the Owls looked defensively. Moore left out Lewis Gibson, switching Liam Palmer to the left of the back three, but the visitors did not do the basics well. They lacked organisation and switched off at vital moments.

Burton Albion and Lincoln, two out of form teams, have breached the Wednesday defence five times this week. Elementary mistakes - like conceding from a throw in - have crept into the Owls' game.

For Wednesday to get their promotion bid back on track, they desperately need to tighten things up at the back.

Is a change in personnel the answer? You would think Dominic Iorfa and Gibson will come into Moore's thoughts when they welcome Cambridge United to Hillsborough next