- Much-changed Seagulls knocked out of the Emirates FA Cup by Championship opposition
- Adam Reach wins it for the Owls with a deflected second-half shot
- Neal Maupay and Shane Duffy go close, but resilient Wednesday hang on
- The Seagulls return to Premier League action at Everton next Saturday
Reach had a bit of luck when his shot from the edge of the box took a big deflection on its way past David Button, but Sheffield Wednesday deserved that bit of fortune as Albion struggled to create clear-cut chances on a frustrating afternoon for last season’s semi-finalists.
Button made a superb save just before the break to deny Steven Fletcher, and although Albion had their opportunities, Wednesday keeper Cameron Dawson made some decent saves when called upon and was well protected by his defenders, especially in the closing stages when the home side pushed for an equaliser.
As expected, Graham Potter rang the changes after a hectic spell of three games in six days. There were seven alterations in all, with only Adam Webster, Steven Alzate, Yves Bissouma and Neal Maupay retaining their places from the team that drew 1-1 against Chelsea.
The bench included under-23s defender Alex Cochrane. The Owls made six changes to the team beaten 1-0 by Hull City in their last outing.
Wednesday began brightly, and Jacob Murphy clipped a sixth-minute shot from the edge of the box just over the bar after Reach picked him out on the left.
Albion took a while to get going, but threatened for the first time on 15 minutes. Alzate made space down the right and picked out Gaetan Bong at the far post and the defender’s clever, looping header had to be turned over his bar by Cameron Dawson.
Moments later, the Wednesday keeper came racing out of his goal, but Maupay rounded him and was lining up a shot at an empty net when defender Dominic Iorfa got in a crucial interception.
The Frenchman went close again when he robbed Iorfa on the line and forced Dawson to block his angled effort, as Albion enjoyed their best spell of the contest.
Maupay went even closer on 31 minutes with a powerful right-foot strike from ten yards, which Dawson saved superbly before the striker was booked for throwing the ball away in frustration after he was penalised for a foul on Osaze Urhoghide.
However, it was the visitors who were closest to a first-half goal in stoppage time through Steven Fletcher’s volley, but Button was equal to his effort with a brilliant save at full stretch, diving high to his right.
Leon Balogun was replaced by Aaron Connolly at the break as Albion reverted to a back four, but it was Wednesday who threatened at the start of the second half through Murphy, who drove an angled effort past the far post, before forcing Button to save a long-range strike.
At the other end, Shane Duffy met Pascal Gross’s corner with a powerful header that Dawson grabbed at the second attempt.
The Owls suffered a blow when Fletcher was stretchered off with what looked like a serious injury to his right knee on 54 minutes after trying to dispossess Bong and Sam Winnall took his place.
Albion made their second change when Alireza Jahanbakhsh came on for Bissouma before Wednesday broke the deadlock in the 65th minute. Alzate was penalised for a foul on Massimo Luongo on the edge of the box, and Reach’s low left-foot free kick beat Button with the help of a deflection.
The hosts began to build up some momentum in search of an equaliser. Maupay nodded wide after Webster had flicked on a corner, then Jahanbakhsh met another Gross set-piece, after man of the match Duffy’s header was deflected wide, with an overhead kick, but unlike against Chelsea this effort was off target.
It summed up a frustrating afternoon in front of goal for Potter’s men, who now turn their attention back to the Premier League with a trip to Everton next Saturday.
ALBION: Button, Balogun (Connolly 45), Duffy, Webster, Bong (Bernardo 70), Schelotto, Bissouma (Jahanbakhsh 63), Alzate, Stephens, Gross, Maupay.
SUBS NOT USED: Steele, Montoya, Propper, Cochrane.
ATTENDANCE: 20,349
1901 CLUB LOTTERY
1ST PRIZE £1000 280154
2ND PRIZE £100 SHOP VOUCHER 278614
3RD PRIZE BOTTLE OF WHISKEY 279990
4TH PRIZE BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE 274432
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ALBION HAT TRICK
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2ND £50 0285
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1ST GOAL TIME 65 MINUTES