“Their coaching staff came to apologise…” – Lee Bullen on Sheffield Wednesday’s defeat to Birmingham City’s U23s

Garry Monk’s Owls let slip a 1-0 lead in the dying moments of their clash with Queens Park Rangers over the weekend after Massimo Luongo had had a glorious chance to seal the game, and Bullen’s youngsters were in a similar position – although probably more dominant – when Liam Waldock didn’t make it 2-0 shortly before the game was turned on its head.

A long-range effort from Miguel Fernandez levelled things up after Matt Penney’s freekick opened the scoring, before Kane Thompson-Sommers struck the killer blow in injury time, but despite the result, Bullen was pleased with the way his side played.

Speaking to The Star after the game, ‘Bully’ said, “I watched the first team game on Saturday and Massimo has that chance and you worry that it doesn’t come back to haunt you, and then Liam Waldock’s had an opportunity to go 2-0 up and we’ve been sucker punched at the end.

“The most telling thing was that their coaching staff came up to us at the end of the game and apologised, because they knew they were second best. But ultimately, it means nothing doesn’t it…

“That’s the most pleasing performance of the season, and we’ve come away with nothing… The first one, it’s a freak goal but we allow him onto his good foot and he puts it in from 30 yards, and the last one we gave somebody three yards of space in our own box – you can’t do that.

“But at this level it’s all about assessing it, learning from it, pointing out areas that we can improve on. Overall, and again it sounds bizarre, but that’s the most pleasing performance of the season for me. The work rate, the high press, was very, very pleasing.”

Bullen’s side really did put in an impressive showing in the second half and should have wrapped things up, but instead they remain winless in the U23 Professional Development League North as they turn their attentions to Cardiff City on October 20th.

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