Joe Mason spent longer celebrating his first goal for Burton Albion than it took him to get on the pitch and score it.

It was timed as 31 seconds from the time the Wolverhampton Wanderers striker was introduced for his Brewers debut to the moment his low strike on the turn hit the back of the Sheffield Wednesday net.

No time at all.

Albion now have much longer than that to reflect on their start to another Championship campaign, with the international break upon them.

The point gained in this clash - and much that has happened over the past eight days - will likely make that assessment feel a positive one.

Joe Mason celebrates with Matt Palmer
Joe Mason celebrates with Matt Palmer

It took another second-half revival from Nigel Clough's men, and there will undoubtedly be a push in September to make sure Burton are not regularly called upon to dig themselves out of a hole.

But such is the character of this side, it may just be a task they would back themselves to keep meeting.

To come from behind against a Wednesday side who will likely be pushing for promotion again come May is positive. To do it without three central midfielders and other first-team faces missing is even more so.

One of those absent midfield men was Jackson Irvine. The Australian international - Burton's top scorer last term - has spoken with a club that Andy Garner confirmed is Hull City over a possible move, meaning he was not involved in the Albion squad.

That was the big talking point ahead of kick-off at the Pirelli Stadium, and no surprise given Irvine's huge influence on this Burton team.

The other point of discussion was who would line up for the Brewers, and in what system, with Clough electing to retain the 4-4-2 that bore victorious fruit in the second-half comeback against Birmingham City.

Stephen Bywater was back between the sticks after Connor Ripley's efforts in the midweek Carabao Cup win at Cardiff City.

In front of him came a first league appearance of the campaign for Ben Turner, who partnered Jake Buxton at centre-half, with Tom Naylor and Damien McCrory as full-backs.

That meant Kyle McFadzean shifted forward into midfield alongside Luke Murphy, with Irvine not in the squad, Matty Lund out injured and Hope Akpan suspended.

McFadzean - who has featured as a deep-lying midfielder before for Burton - was favoured over Matt Palmer as a taller, more physical presence against the attacking quality of the Owls.

That left Lloyd Dyer on the left flank, Sean Scannell earned his home debut on the right and Lucas Akins and Marvin Sordell partnered each other up top.

The 4-4-2 system does not always offer Albion the same attacking fluidity as the 3-5-2 Clough regularly favours. But it certainly provided a solid platform, with McFadzean dominant in the air and Murphy a calming, constant presence to sweep up in front of his back four.

Sean Scannell in action on his home Burton Albion debut against Sheffield Wednesday

At the other end, as well, the Brewers looked keen to build on back-to-back victories in all competitions.

Much of Burton's threat came through the wingers, Dyer's well-placed cross almost setting McFadzean up, before a well-hit delivery from McCrory presented Sordell with a gilt-edged headed chance inside the six-yard box, only for the January signing to nod wide under pressure.

The same man then called Wednesday keeper Keiren Westwood into action after turning his man well in the box and drilling in a tame left-footed shot. Given the quality of his strike against Birmingham eight days earlier, Sordell would have wanted more from there.

Instead, it was Carlos Carvalhal's visitors who opened the scoring. Despite the wealth of attacking riches at Wednesday's disposal - Jordan Rhodes came off the bench here, and Fernando Forestieri was an unused substitute - it seems to be Gary Hooper who is the glue in the Owls' offensive efforts.

Gary Hooper celebrates with Steven Fletcher after giving Sheffield Wednesday the lead
Gary Hooper celebrates with Steven Fletcher after giving Sheffield Wednesday the lead

He proved that for the opener, sparking a counter and muscling the otherwise superb Murphy out of the way before spreading play out wide.

Possession eventually broke for Jack Hunt on the overlap, and his low cross, while just behind Hooper, ended up in the back of the net courtesy of the ex-Norwich City man's clever backheel flick, as deft a finish as you will see all season.

Had George Boyd delayed his bursting run into the Albion box by a split second, it would have been 2-0 before the break - but the flag went up as he drilled Adam Reach's cross home first-time.

Even a goal down, it meant Burton required another second-half response at the Pirelli. They cannot afford for that to be the case too regularly, of course, and there was not the same instant response here as eight days previously.

Pushing to grab a crucial second, the Owls were the quicker out of the blocks, a series of deliveries from out wide headed clear by Turner and Buxton, the latter also making a crucial block as Barry Bannan looked to drill goalwards.

It was the sort of defensive effort that Albion built their late-season push for survival on last term - and Clough has further bolstered his defence this summer with the type of player who relishes such a challenge.

That defence would eventually pay dividends.

Scannell gave an insight into Albion's building momentum as he latched onto Sordell's clever pass down the right flank before cutting inside and drilling a left-footed strike low towards the near post. Substitute stopper Joe Wildsmith was equal to it after replacing Westwood, injured in a collision with Sordell that drew much ire from the travelling fans.

Marvin Sordell stands over Keiren Westwood after their collision at the Pirelli Stadium

Scannell's threat is in his ability to beat his man down the wing, and that will become a more regular sight at the Pirelli as he gets more gametime under his belt.

One man who did not need any gametime to make an impression, of course, was Mason.

He replaced Scannell in the 64th minute and jogged into the Owls area as Naylor lined up a throw-in. Within that 31-second period, the throw was sent in, Sordell flicked on and after challenging in the air, Mason reacted fastest to the dropping ball, turning on a six-pence to send it flying past Wildsmith and inside the far post.

Having bagged three goals for Wolves in August last year, it was only the ex-Cardiff man's second goal in the subsequent 12 months. The return of that clinical eye will be a valuable addition for Burton with record signing Liam Boyce - signed for his goalscoring ability - out for the majority of the campaign.

Joe Mason fires home on his debut for the Brewers
Joe Mason fires home on his debut for the Brewers

In fairness, having had the better of a first half they lost, Albion were on the back foot for much of the final 20 minutes, withstanding incessant waves of pressure from a Wednesday side unable to find the quality of pass needed to unlock Burton's rearguard.

When they did find the classy moment, Daniel Pudil's clever hooked effort back across goal was cleared from under his own crossbar by Murphy.

Back on terms, Clough's side - whose defensive efforts were spearheaded by the excellent returning Turner - were not about to surrender a valuable point.

Ben Turner (centre) challenges Sheffield Wednesday's Adam Reach and Tom Lees in the air

They did not.

And so into the first international break of the campaign. It comes at a valuable time for the Brewers, who will hope to have Stephen Warnock, Luke Varney, Lund, Akpan and McCrory - off midway through the second 45 with a hamstring injury - back from the physio room for the trip to Leeds United on September 9.

While Burton may be three points short of this same stage last season, they have come within a matter of minutes of being unbeaten from three home games so far, but for Kenneth Zohore's late opening-day winner for Cardiff.

Having lost their first three matches, this mini-run - including the cup triumph in south Wales - has settled any early-season nerves and shown the quality this team possesses, albeit with areas still to address.

With the potential for another new face or two to still be added and some valuable 'second pre-season work' under the belt in the coming days, according to Clough, Burton may be in an even better situation in a fortnight's time.