Referee Sam Barrott faced widespread boos as he left the Hillsborough pitch on Saturday evening, following Sheffield Wednesday’s defeat to Cardiff City, in which they were denied two late penalty appeals. For a significant portion of the match, it appeared to be a routine Wednesday victory, as Anthony Musaba’s well-executed first-half goal gave them control. However, Karlan Grant’s deflected shot in the 74th minute reopened the game, and Kion Etete’s late poke secured a surprise win for the Bluebirds.
In the closing stages, substitute Ashley Fletcher was involved in two penalty incidents that left Wednesday players furious. After the final whistle, many players protested with the officials for several minutes. Speaking about the contentious moments, manager Röhl, in his usual composed manner, acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the potential fouls, stating, “There were two actions in the box, and, yeah, maybe there was a foul, maybe not. I haven’t seen it closely at this point, but we are really disappointed when we invest so much energy into a game and don’t take something. We must go forward.”
Penalty shout pic.twitter.com/e7s9tDBmaX
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When asked about the specific incidents involving Fletcher, including a tumble to the ground and an alleged shirt-pull that angered the Kop, Röhl maintained a calm demeanor. He commented, “There are always duels. Maybe there was something, maybe there wasn’t anything. Look, this was not the key moment for me. When you see the game, you get the feeling we controlled the game, and when you concede the two goals, it is a pity.”