LOUD OWLS OF DELIGHT AT MAT MISS

Sheffield Wednesday 0 Watford 0

MATHEUS MARTINS’ costly blunder saw Watford miss a chance to chase down the Championship top six.

With Sheffield Wednesday keeper James Beadle off his line, the Brazilian forward was left with an open goal in the first half.

But, from a tricky angle, Martins (above, battling against Barry Bannan) rushed his shot and skewed it wide to let Owls off the hook.

And, in the end, it was the relegation-threatened hosts who felt hard done by. They had plenty of chances to sneak a win themselves.

But Watford keeper Ben Hamer pulled off a series of top saves, including a brilliant 90th-minute strike from Anthony Musaba.

Wednesday started brightly and Hamer needed to save smartly from Barry Bannan’s curled 25-yard shot.

Di’Shon Bernard flashed a header wide, too, and Musaba had a weak shout for a penalty.

But too often Danny Rohl’s side, who face a huge battle at fellow strugglers Huddersfield on Saturday, were too slow to capitalise.

Watford initially looked far more sprightly when they launched attacks.

The visitors came closest to opening the scoring when Martins’ 30th-minute free-kick deflected on to a post leaving on-loan Owls keeper James Beadle rooted.

Josh Windass desperately scrambled the rebound clear. But then Martins suffered his howler.

Owls striker Ike Ugbo rifled a shot against a post in response, Djeidi Gassama’s follow-up header landing kindly for Hamer to leave it goalless at the break.

On the hour, Beadle needed to be alert to save from Yaser Asprillia after Pol Valentin got pick-pocketed in his own six-yard box.

But Bernard thought he had scored for the Owls when volleying Bannan’s free-kick.

He started wheeling away in celebration, thinking Hamer’s smothered save had not prevented the ball crossing the line.

But the keeper had done just enough to deny Rohl’s side once again.

And Hamer came up trumps at the end to deny Musaba.