Barry Bannan’s penalty miss sees Sheffield Wednesday look destined for the drop down to League One

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The Owls dropped points late on against Bristol City, with a late equaliser causing heartbreak for the home side after an early penalty miss from Barry Bannan.

Sheffield Wednesday went ahead early on through a Julian Borner header and had their spirits boosted after only 20 minutes when the visitors went down to ten men thanks to a ludicrous handball on the line by Henri Lansbury.

The player who stepped up to take the penalty for Wednesday was Mr Reliable himself, Barry Bannan. The midfielder has captained and played in every single one of the 42 games Wednesday have played this season, registering only two goals with both coming from the penalty spot.

Bannan failed to make it three goals from the spot this season against Bristol City, however, as he saw his effort saved by Daniel Bentley. The midfielder stepped up to the spot and hit the ball low to the left of the goal, the ball however wasn’t aimed far enough into the corner and the Robins’ shot-stopper was able to smother the ball to keep the score at 1-0.

Bannan’s penalty miss proved to be costly for the hosts; as Tyreeq Bakinson equalised late on with a long-range low effort. Bannan has been one of Wednesday’s most reliable players this season, and the anguish on his face just before the equaliser was clear to see.

After Joey Pelupessy gave away a free-kick in his own half his captain roared out at him in rage, clearly frustrated at his fellow midfielder’s poor game management. From the set-piece sure enough came the goal, as the ball was pumped long and finished without hesitation by Bakinson.

The heartbreak on Bannan’s face after the goal and as the final whistle blew was clear to see, a captain who epitomises putting his body on the line for the club that he loves so dearly.

Despite missing the penalty, assistant manager Jamie Smith described how his captain wasn’t to blame for the loss of the game:

‘Baz is obviously disappointed but there is no blame in him missing the penalty. It happens.

‘It was not the reason we did not win the game. There were other chances as well where we could have settled it.’

The manager who has stepped in for the ill Darren Moore continued to say:

‘It’s not just me that is devastated; it’s everybody that is in the dressing room. All the players and the staff feel the same.

‘It was a game that we thought we could win and we should have won on the chances that we created.’

Bannan will hope that Wednesday can pull off a miracle in the last few games of the season however it looks inevitable that the Owls will face the drop down to League One.

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