Sheffield Wednesday were unable to pick up a win in their battle to avoid relegation from the Championship on Friday afternoon.
The Owls hosted Swansea City at Hillsborough, in the first game back after the March international break.
Danny Rohl‘s side took the lead five minutes before half time. Bailey Cadamarteri fired home from close range for his fourth Championship goal of the season.
However, Swansea City would equalise with just under a quarter of an hour remaining, courtesy of Jamal Lowe.
That ensured both sides would have to settle for a point. As a result, Sheffield Wednesday remain in a precarious position as they attempt to secure their Championship status.
Owls miss a big opportunity
Following that draw on Friday, Rohl’s side are still 23rd in the Championship table. However, they are now only behind 21st placed Birmingham City on goal difference.
As a result, had they hung on for victory here, Sheffield Wednesday would now be out of the relegation zone.
Had they been able to do that, it could have provided a big psychological boost going into these final fews games, especially after being in the bottom three for almost the whole season.
With that in mind, Rohl is unlikely to be pleased with the way Sheffield Wednesday conceded the goal that prevented them from doing just that.
Danny Rohl won’t be pleased with Sheffield Wednesday marking
It is hard to escape the argument that the goal the Owls conceded on Friday, is one they could have avoided.
From a Josh Tymon corner, Harry Darling was able to rise highest to head the ball into the path of Lowe, who was then able to turn it home from close range.
In the cases of Darling and Lowe, the ball came to both Swansea City players while they were unmarked and unchallenged in the Sheffield Wednesday area.
As a result, the pair both had simple tasks when it came to playing their part in constructing a goal that may ultimately prove costly for the Owls.
That is unlikely to be something that Rohl will be pleased with at all. With his side in a relegation battle, they are going to need to show as much fight as possible if they are to get out of trouble.
But in failing to mark Darling and Lowe, Sheffield Wednesday made things rather too easy for their opponents in getting on the scresheet.
Had they shown the desire to get closer either or both of those players, this is a chance the Owls may have been able to shut down before the ball ended up in the back of their net.
With the pressure already on, that is something they simply have to from now on. Giving away too many goals in this way otherwise, could well prove decisive in the battle to avoid relegation.
As a result, you imagine that a need to be much sharper and tighter when defending set pieces, is one thing Rohl is going to be emphasising to his Sheffield Wednesday squad in the wake of Friday’s game.