It all ends in tiers for Garry as Pell fires
NOBODY wants to be in Tier Three – and that includes Wednesday.
On the day the city of Sheffield entered that level of Covid-19 alert, the Owls’ gloom deepened after another setback in their bid to avoid English football’s third tier.
Rock-bottom Wednesday’s 12-point deduction for breaching spending rules meant League One was looming before a ball was kicked this season.
And they remain on minus four points after Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu made up for a first-half miss with a 74th-minute strike. That sealed victory for Luton – three minutes after he was fouled when Owls defender Joost van Aken was sent off.
Hatters boss Nathan Jones said: “Pelly looked like he was playing on a trampoline at first because the ball was getting away from him.
“But once he settled, he looked a real threat. He’s so strong and powerful and he wants to learn. The boy is a real talent.’’
Van Aken was shown a straight red by referee Geoff Eltringham for a high challenge on Mpanzu – and then the victim drilled home left-footed.
Wednesday boss Garry Monk said: “I think the sending off was a soft one but you give the referee the option to make the decision.
“I don’t know if we’ll appeal – we’ll have to look at it.
“The red card kind of killed us – it was a big blow. But our best spell was when we went down to ten men!’’
SHEFF WEDS: Dawson 6; Odubajo 6, Flint 7, Van Aken 5; Reach 6, Pelupessy 5 (Rhodes 80th), Bannan 6, Harris 6; Marriott
5 (Borner (75th) 5), Paterson 5 (Windass
(65th) 5), Kachunga 6
Sluga 7; Lockyer 6, Pearson 6, Bradley 6; Cranie 6, Morrell 5 (Tunnicliffe
90th), Dewsbury-Hall 5, Norrington-Davies
6; Mpanzu 7, Lee 5 (LuaLua (69th) 6); Hylton 6
Aden Flint G Eltringham