Sheffield Wednesday stand-in boss denies ‘sense of resignation’ after dire draw with Nottingham Forest

In what was rightly billed as one of the biggest games in the club’s modern history, the Owls mustered few chances and were lucky to keep a clean sheet when Keiren Westwood atoned for a comedy of errors by saving Lewis Grabban’s penalty.

Callum Paterson got away with what looked like a clear penalty when he brought down Alex Mighten in the box and though Wednesday had a handful of half-chances, the urgency that the occasion might have warranted was lacking.

Asked why his side put on such a performance, Smith said: “Nerves I suppose and perhaps the occasion maybe got to us a little bit, particularly in the first half we were frantic with the ball and weren’t clean enough.

“The decision making wasn’t good enough but saying that we still had chances.”

The draw means Wednesday face a nervous wait on Derby’s result at Swansea. Only a Swansea win will see the Owls head to Pride Park next week with hope of survival.

Asked why it seemed there was a sense of resignation about his side, the Owls assistant boss said: “You might say that but I’ve been in and around the dressing room and in there every day with the players on the training ground with the players and there definitely isn’t a resignation.

“We have to. We’ve no choice. Hopefully results go for us and we have to.”