Cardiff City boss Neil Harris on ‘borderline’ Junior Hoilett tackle that injured Liam Palmer in Sheffield Wednesday's 2-1 defeat

The challenge, which took place just after the hour mark and could well have provided a turning point in a fixture that saw Garry Monk’s Owls fail come back from a two-goal deficit, saw Hoilett receive only a yellow card.

The Bluebirds were 2-0 up within eight minutes through goals for Robert Glatzel and Hoilett himself and despite Tom Lees’ second in as many games on 18 minutes, the scoreline remained locked at 2-1.

Speaking after the game, Wednesday boss Monk said there was no doubt in his mind that the challenge should have earned a red, and his Cardiff counterpart conceded there was a question to answer.

Harris said: “I thought it was borderline, I’ve not seen it again, I’ve got to be honest.

“But it was right in front of me at the time and I thought the speed that it happened, it looked worse than it was.

“What I will say is that Junior has hardly been booked in about eight seasons of football, so he’s not a malicious player.

“It doesn’t make the tackle right or wrong with that, but his foot was clearly on the floor.”

Cardiff’s early double saw Wednesday forced to chase the game and as the Bluebirds sat further in, a Steven Fletcher-less Owls failed to break down a determined low block inspired by the performance of substitute Sol Bamba.

Harris admitted the incident could have turned the game in the home side’s favour but suggested that it was a case of ‘what goes around comes around’ in the Championship.

“We were very, very harshly dealt with in the case of Sean Morrison at Leeds,” he said. “It wasn’t a red card in the first place and for him then to be given a three game ban was a disgrace by the FA.

“Today, if we came out on the right end of a 50/50 call then I will certainly accept that.”