Owls suffer more agony
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY are staring relegation in the face after Tyreeq
Bakinson’s late strike secured an unlikely draw for 10-man Bristol City.
The Owls made a perfect start when Julian Borner headed home his second of the season after Josh Windass played Barry Bannan’s corner back across goal.
Bannan squandered a great chance to extend the lead when Wednesday were awarded a penalty after Henri Lansbury handled Callum Paterson’s shot and was given a straight red with just 21 minutes played. Bannan struck a low shot but it lacked power and keeper Daniel Bentley guessed correctly to smother the ball.
Wednesday created waves of attacks but they failed to capitalise and were punished late on when Bakinson spun and shot from outside the area into the bottom corner.
Owls boss Darren Moore was absent from the touchline after developing complications from Covid, including pneumonia and blood clots on the lungs. Assistant Jamie Smith took his place and did not attempt to hide his disappointment with the Owls seven points off safety, saying: ”It feels like a defeat – I know it’s a point but it’s not enough.
“We should have won the game on chances. But we cannot give up.”
There was no blame assigned to Bannan over the missed spot-kick and Smith added: “We started really well. Them going down to 10 men probably affected us more than it did them.
“Fair play to them, they dug in and it seemed to galvanise them.”
Wednesday will be kicking themselves for failing to make use of the numerical advantage. After the early opener, Liam Palmer struck the woodwork, then Bannan fired just past the post.
The Robins threatened little before Bakinson’s 87th-minute stunner that rocked the Owls. Boss Nigel Pearson was Wednesday captain when they won the 1991 League Cup.
He said: “It’s a tough time for Wednesday at the moment — certainly with Darren not being here as well.
“I still have a lot of fondness for the club – it was a big part of mine and my family’s lives so I don’t get a lot of satisfaction from coming here and contributing to what is a tough situation for them.”