Danny Röhl has say on potential Coventry City red card - focus on Sheffield Wednesday shortfall

A penalty shootout defeat came after Anthony Musaba levelled-up late on for a Wednesday side who have developed a reputation for comeback efforts this season. The second half in particular showed plenty of control between the boxes from the Owls - but another set piece concession and profligacy in bright positions cost them a place in the fourth round.

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Early doors a challenge from Coventry defender Liam Kitching received scorn from watching Wednesdayites, with the benefit of a replay suggesting a high leading arm and a potential red card challenge in an incident that left Musaba floored and teammates incensed. It was the fourth foul on the Dutchman inside the first six minutes of the match. Kitching went on to open the scoring for the Sky Blues.

“The decision was on the pitch from the ref,” Röhl told The Star post-match. “I think especially in the first 10 minutes there were some duels where maybe you could make a statement but this was not for me the main part. For me it is about how we play away, there was so much good stuff in there. But in the end it is the result and I am a little bit disappointed.”

Musaba’s injury time goal was the only shot on target registered by Wednesday, a stat that belies the number of final third opportunities they squandered. Röhl has requested more cutting edge from his players several times this season - and has made the point a ‘special player’ in those positions would make for an important January addition.

He continued: “We had so many situations; two against two, two against one. And we did not come to a dangerous finish. This is a little bit of an issue. It looks really nice what we are doing and I did not have the feeling in the second half that the opponent had a solution for us. We controlled a lot and we were tight.

“But we must control the game with ball possession and we did well. I saw a lot of different solutions today but one thing that we must improve is that we don’t have eight or nine situations, we need 15, 16. There was much more in there to speed up the game, this is what we can improve.”