SUB STANDARD
Johnson hits out at ref justice claiming Owls had all the Luc
FURIOUS Lee Johnson blamed officials for a huge miss that cost his side any chance of taking something off the highflying Owls.
The City head coach was incensed Lucas Joao’s opening goal (right) was not ruled out for an offside when he ran onto a long clearance from keeper Cameron Dawson ( far right).
At the time Johnson remonstrated angrily with referee Andy Davies. Having seen the goal again after the game, he was even more convinced of an injustice.
Johnson said: “The first goal in Championship games is so important and today we have conceded it through sub-standard officiating.
“It was three yards offside. Every day we work with our defenders on squeezing up to get our high-press going.
“An individual has let us down today and it wasn’t one of my players.
“It is really frustrating and we can’t allow this sort of thing to continue at our level.
“I don’t normally talk about officials, but today it was such a key moment. I think they knew immediately that an error had been made.”
Joao, a 17th-minute substitute for the injured Steven Fletcher, ran clear and held off Nathan Baker before firing low past Niki Maenpaa.
Two minutes later, with City still stunned, the replacement striker netted again, with a fierce drive from 12 yards. Matty Taylor gave City some hope with an 80th -minute penalty, smashing the ball down the middle after substitute Callum O’Dowda had been fouled by Josh Onomah.
But despite exerting heavy pressure during seven minutes of stoppage time, Johnson’s men could not conjure up an equaliser.
Wednesday boss Jos Luhukay was far from overjoyed by his team’s performance – admitting that they had been outplayed for much of the opening 45 minutes.
Luhukay said: “We are proud to be in the top six, but I was not happy with what I saw in the first half.
“Bristol created several chances, while we had only one or two good moments.
“The second half was much better. We scored two good goals, and after giving away a stupid penalty, defended really well at the end. “Lucas Joao was having a difficult game after going on as a substitute, not always keeping the ball.
“But he was different after his first goal and in the end was very important to us. “Steven Fletcher hurt his back and Barry Bannan also picked up an injury.
“We have had an intensive period and I am happy about the international break.”
BRISTOL CITY: Maenpaa 7, Webster 7, Baker 8, Kelly 7 (Watkins 69, 6), Hunt 6, Brownhill 6, Pack 7, Dasilva 6, Paterson 6 (Weimann 69, 6), Diedhiou 7 (O’Dowda 69, 7), Taylor 7
SHEFF WED: Dawson 7, Lees 8, Hector 9, Pudil 8, Palmer 7, Onomah 6, Bannan 7 (Pelupessy 80, 6), Thorniley 7 (Forestieri 58, 6), Reach 7, Fletcher 5 (Joao 17, 8), Penney 7
MOTM MICHAEL HECTOR (SHEFF WED)