“For your team to stay in the Championship..” Xisco admits ‘big problem’ with Sheffield Wednesday

A Will Vaulks handball in the 96th minute acted as a gut-punch to an Owls side that looked to be doing enough to collect their first point of the season.

Last-gasp goals became something of a highlight for Wednesday in recent months, but draw-surrendering concessions in the final minutes of matches has haunted them twice already.

Couple the weakness late on with their having conceded twice in the opening stages of second halves in their last two matches and it adds up to an Owls unite that are imparting increasing concern on their fanbase.

“Again in the 96th minute we lose the game,” the Spaniard told The Star after admitting his disappointment and maintaining his satisfaction with the general performance. “Against Southampton exactly the same. Today, the same.

“I think we need to start thinking about how we start the second half. We have spoken about that a lot of times and we conceded again at the start of the second half.

“These are the situations you need for your team to stay in the Championship. When you give a good performance and you have chances but when you give them the chance with the penalty, you lose.”

Xisco refused to make a excuse of the officials for awarding the late penalty that Ryan Wintle laced home.

Problems closer to home are more of a concern to the Wednesday manager.

“I never speak about referees,” he said. “Right now we are not lucky about referees but they are the referees.

“We have a big problem first about our team. I am not thinking about the referees. I will not make an excuse of referees. My team gave a good performance today, I am thinking every time about what we want and I am disappointed for the fans for the result.

“The minimum we needed to take was one point from here. Minimum.”