Sheffield Wednesday's cup hero reveals his penalty-saving secret after Cardiff City win

The Owls stopper has a frankly ridiculous penalty-saving record over the course of his career, keeping out around half of the non-shootout spot kicks that he's faced, and since the start of the 2021/22 campaign he's saved seven of the 12 that he's been tasked with.

He'd never stopped two in a single match though, up until Saturday night... The long-serving Wednesdayite came up trumps in front of the Kop as he kept out both Ryan Wintle and Callum Robinson from 12 yards out, two vital stops as Danny Röhl's side booked their place in the fourth round of the FA Cup. He insists that it's got nothing to do with luck.

“It was a strange old start to the game,” Dawson said with a smile afterwards. “To go a goal up was brilliant and exactly what we were after, but then two penalties in quick succession was strange. With the first one I was obviously delighted to save it, but with the second I thought my luck was going to have to run out here. But I guessed right and saved two in a game - it’s the first time I’ve done that, so I was really happy with that…

“I’m really proud to have a penalty saving record like I do. I keep telling people that it’s a skill when they tell me I’m lucky - but I’m not sure they believe me! To help the team out and make an impact is a brilliant feeling.

“A big thing for me is to stay instinctive. Obviously the research is there for everyone in terms of where takers go, whether they have patterns, but I try to stay instinctive. I do have that information and I do look at it, but I also make a decision at the time and that’s a big thing for me.”

Wednesday are back in action this weekend when they make the trip down to Southampton in the Championship, and they'll be desperate to keep up their good run as they as they eye a chance to get out of the bottom three for the first time.