Added-time euphoria turned to last-gasp agony as Wednesday went down 2-1 at West Brom today.
The away end was still celebrating Callum Paterson’s 94th minute leveller when the Baggies grabbed the winner three minutes later through Jayson Molumby.
It was a tough one to take for the Owls after matching West Brom in the second half and the late, late defeat sees us drop one place to eleventh on 42 points, three behind sixth-placed Blackburn.
We began the game without injured skipper Barry Bannan and the home side dominated the first half, James Beadle saving from Torjorn Heggem and Karlan Grant.
However, Wednesday went close to opening the scoring just before the break when Djeidi Gassama’s run and shot brought a fine save out of ex-Owl Joe Wildsmith.
West Brom were quick out of the blocks at the start of the second half and Marvin Johnson, on as sub for the injured Di’Shon Bernard, twice came to the rescue as he made a vital block from Grady Diangana’s shot and deflected a Molumby effort onto the woodwork.
Then came a controversial moment on 52 minutes with Wednesday looking to have gone ahead when the dangerous Gassama burst clear down the left, cut inside and drove the ball low across Wildsmith and into the far corner of the net.
There was no offside flag from the linesman and the referee looked to have allowed the goal. However, some 15 seconds later he reversed his decision with Josh Windass, who was in the goalmouth, seemingly deemed to be interfering with Wildsmith’s line of sight and ruled offside.
Shea Charles flicked just wide from Johnson’s cross soon afterwards but just as we looked to be getting a firmer grip on the game, it was West Brom who snatched the lead on 74 minutes.
Tom Fellows found Adam Armstrong inside the box with a pull back from the right-hand side and the striker expertly guided the ball home from 10 yards.
Undeterred, Wednesday continued to push forward and, when Paterson flicked on for Ike Ugbo, the striker saw his close-range effort pushed away by Wildsmith before Paterson grabbed what we thought was a point-saver on 93 minutes.
Svante Ingelsson crossed low from the left and Paterson fired home from close-in at the second attempt after his first shot was blocked on the line to send the travelling sellout Wednesday contingent into raptures behind the goal.
Beadle then produced an excellent tipover save to deny Mikey Johnston but, when the resulting corner came over, Molumby was given space at the near post to flick home for their 97th minute winner.
There was still time for West Brom’s Kyle Bartley to receive a red card on the final whistle for raising an arm at Ingelsson during an on-pitch melee while Wednesday were left to reflect on what-might-have-been.
Beadle, Valery (Ugbo 86), Ihiekwe, Bernard (Johnson 45+2), M Lowe, S Charles, Armstrong (Valentin 54), Chalobah (Ingelsson 54), Gassama, Windass, Smith (Paterson 86). Unused subs: P.Charles, Otegbayo Kobacki, J Lowe.