Late leak costs Owls dear yet again

It was a bad day at the office for Paul Sturrock yesterday. The Owls boss will return to the transfer market tomorrow is search of a striker after Wycombe Wanderers hot shot Nathan Tyson turned down a move to Hillsborough. Earlier in the day a £700,000 bid for League Two's current top scorer was accepted.

If that wasn't a slap in the face than an injury time equaliser, and two more points thrown away by the Owls, by Colin Kazim-Richards certainly was. Brighton's last gasp strike was enough to see them off on their long journey back to the south coast with a point in the bag. Whilst it was enough to see Wednesday crawl out of the bottom three it was the third consecutive game the Owls have failed to hold onto their lead, leaving Sturrock fuming with the "naivity" of his players.

Wednesday's need of strike power is certainly no secret and this match was another classic example of a game that could and should have been killed off well before Brighton snatched a draw.

The game started brightly with Lee Peacock forcing visitors keeper Wayne Henderson into an early save. Moments later the inform Chris Brunt hit a right foot drive that went across the face of goal with David Graham unable to latch onto the ball.

There was little to shout about for Seagulls fans throughout the first half. After Wednesday's early threats on goal the game appeared to sizzle out somewhat.

Half-time: Owls 0-0 Brighton

The second half started with a confident penalty appeal for the visitors, who felt Owls defender Graham Coughlan had blocked Jake Robinson with his arm. The quiet Hillsborough crowd finally had something to shout about after 55 minutes when Lee Peacock grabbed a typical poacher's strike, his third goal of the season, after Chris Brunt's effort was saved.

The Owls were guilty of wasting a number of good chances to kill off the game and claim all three points and, somehow, you got the feeling Brighton would snatch something from the game. Somehow, because it's becoming all too familiar for this Wednesday backline.

It was three minutes into injury time when the Seagulls were to strike the killer blow. Kazim-Richards, a second half substitute, connecting with Seb Carole's cross to grab a vital point for his side.

It seems unlikely Sturrock will be able to find a new striker in time for Saturday's trip to Norwich after failed bids to bring both Tyson and Swansea City's Lee Trundle to Hillsborough.

Paul Sturrock's post match comments:
"We have a naivety in our team and we didn't play out the minutes or take the sting out of the game. The second-half chances that we missed proved costly and it feels like a loss. One or two players are not mentally attuned to closing out games at this level and it's hurt us badly again."