Wednesday anger over Wolves' equaliser
Funnily enough every time the Owls have won the FA Cup they have had to beat
Wolverhampton Wanderers somewhere along the way, and if it is to happen this year they
must travel away to the Molineux stadium for a Fourth round replay encounter.
Ofcourse this could have been avoided if it weren't for some controversial decisions by the
match officials that allowed Wolves an equaliser towards the end of the match, that left Owls
boss Danny Wilson fuming on the sideline.
Wednesday though cannot put the bad decisions down to their failure to win this Cup tie first time around. As on so many
occasions this season the Owls were guilty of not putting away good chances to score in front of goal, and with home
advantage as well. Although the starting line-up was mainly the same as the one of previous weeks, Wilson had given a
start for youngster Steven Haslam. The Owls took the lead after just nine minutes when good creative play from Wim
Jonk saw skipper Peter Atherton head the ball back for Swede midfield man Niclas Alexandersson to hook the ball
home on the volley for his fourth goal of the season.
Soon after the opener the home side had further chances to extend their lead, which they failed to do so. Dutchman
Gerald Sibon, enjoying a re-call to first team action with the injury to Andy Booth, had a long range drive turned away by
former Aston Villa keeper Michael Oakes, who made his debut at Hillsborough some four years ago. From the resulting
corner Wolves were saved only by a desperate off the line clearance from Pollet.
On 20 minutes the Owls came close once again but failed the killer touch to put the ball in the net. Sibon was in the thick
of the action again when a free-kick setpiece saw the tall forward fire the ball goal bound. Northern Ireland full-back Ian
Nolan was in the right place at the right time and found himself with a golden chance to score his first goal since his
horrific leg injury a few seasons ago. Instead, the former Tranmere Rovers player shot wide and the opportunity went
begging.
At half-time the score was just 1-0 and no doubt Danny Wilson angry that his side had failed to finish the match off in the
first 45 minutes. The fact that Wolves had survived that opening period, largely dominated by the home team, gave them
encouragement and they came out fired up for the second half. At half-time Wilson was forced to bring off Gilles de Bilde
who was struggling with a flu-virus, they were to miss him later on in the game.
Half-time: Owls 1-0 Wolves
Although Wolves did improve in the second half they didn't really create too many clear cut chances - but instead
frustrated Wednesday and didn't allow them to play their passing game. On the hour mark Alexandersson could've had
his second of the game but for a last gasp challenge from defender Steve Sedgley.
Then in the 69th minute the controversy began. Wolves defender Steve Sedgley headed the ball onto the post and Owls
keeper Pavel Srnicek appeared to scrape the ball away from the goal before crossing the line, as Danny Sonner
smashed the ball out of the Wednesday goalmouth spectacularly. Then, just moments later, the Wolves players began
celebrating as referee Graham Barber had given the goal. Infact the decision had really been made by a linesman who
was some 30 yards away from the incident. Later TV replays proved that the goal was one that should never have stood.
The goal rocked Wednesday and you could almost sense real injustice around the corner as Wolves pushed for what
would have been a dramatic winner. Despite a failed late effort by Richard Cresswell the final whistle blew and the final
result a draw. These kind of events are all part and parcel of what makes the FA Cup one of the most loved competitions
around the world - although the Owls will have to show some of their own magic in the replay in just over a week's time.
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