Corby Town brought their pre-season programme to a close with a third successive defeat against a strong Sheffield Wednesday Under-23 squad. The Steelmen took the game to the visitors from the off but found it difficult to break down a defence which included skipper Liam Williams, Republic of Ireland youth international Ciaran Brennan and commanding centre half Connor O'Grady who has already been given his first team debut by the Owls and had previously spent six years on the books of Manchester United.
Wednesday went close early on when Jack Stobbs played the ball in from the wing to Ben Hughes and the former Manchester City player saw his shot hit the outside of the post. The visitors did go ahead in the 11th minute, however, as Preslav Borukov turned past Dean McBride and set up Stobbs who flicked the ball up and volleyed it into the bottom corner of the net.
There was little Corby goalkeeper Dan George could do about that one but five minutes later he didn't make contact with a long through ball outside his penalty area and Bulgarian striker Borukov rolled the ball into the empty net.
In the 44th minute Sheffield struck a killer third goal, Borukov heading Matt Penney's centre against the bar and then reacting quicker than the Corby defence to turn in the rebound.
Corby enjoyed some good attacking possession at the start of the second half and Owls' goalkeeper Cameron McCulloch made a smart save from Joel Carta. Any hopes of a Steelmen fightback were quickly nipped in the bud, however, as 21-year-old Stobbs - who has gained first team experience both at Wednesday and during a loan spell with Port Vale - was put clear in the penalty area and he clinically fired in number four.
As the game ebbed and flowed McCulloch turned away an angled shot by Jordon Crawford and O'Grady blocked an effort by Carta at one end while George made a good save with his feet from Penney, who had gained Football League experience whilst on loan to Mansfield Town in 2017/18, at the other.
But it was Wednesday who struck the next goal when a centre from the right by the talented Stobbs was touched in by the predatory Borukov for his hat trick.
It was to Corby's credit that their heads never went down and they almost pulled a goal back when Crawford's shot was saved by McCulloch and Saif Alremeithi's follow up was blocked.
They finally did get the reward their efforts deserves with two minutes remaining when a Crawford centre was headed in at the far post by Jake Bettles.
Former Steelman Jordan O'Brien was introduced as a substitute during the second half but he didn't get the opportunity to make the impact he would have wanted on his return to Steel Park.

CORBY TOWN:- Dan George; Miles Smith, Sam Warburton; Connor Kennedy, Jamie Anton (captain), Dean McBride (substitute Saif Alremeithi); Jordan Francis (substitute Ashley Robinson), Ben Bradshaw (substitute Jake Bettles), Elliot Sandy (substitute Zac Allen), Joel Carta. Jordon Crawford. Unused substitutes: Dan Smith (GK), Luke Aridegbe), Lee Garvie.

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY:- Cameron McCulloch; Ben Hughes, Matt Penney; Liam Williams (captain), Ciran Brennan, Connor O'Grady; Jack Stobbs, Connor Kirby, Preslav Borukov, Liam Walacar, Jordan Lonchar. Substitutes: Josh Render (GK), Joe West, Josh Dawvdo, Jordan O'Brien, Connor Grant, Issac Rice.

REFEREE:- Mr Martin Dexter (Leicester).

ATTENDANCE:- 323.