A late penalty condemned Salford City to a 2-1 defeat against Sheffield Wednesday in the EFL Trophy Group North on Tuesday. Ben Woodburn's first-half strike was cancelled out before Jamal Lowe converted from the spot with 13 minutes remaining to settle the tie.
The result halts a positive recent run for Salford, who had won three of their last five matches in all competitions. They sit 12th in League Two with 10 points from seven games. Their focus now shifts to the league and an away trip to Oldham Athletic this Saturday, a fixture they will approach looking to improve on a recent away record that has seen them win just one of their last four league games on the road.
How the game unfolded
Playing in a 5-3-2 formation under manager P. Cklamovski, Salford started brightly and were rewarded in the 34th minute. Ryan Graydon, the club's top scorer this season with 11 goals, provided the assist for Woodburn to slot home. The hosts controlled the tempo and took that lead into the break, with Matt Butcher picking up a yellow card in first-half stoppage time.
Sheffield Wednesday, managed by H. Pedersen, levelled the contest 10 minutes after the restart. Davis Keillor-Dunn found the net following a pass from Joel Akpobi. Salford continued to press and created numerous chances, finishing the match with 19 shots to Wednesday's five and 58 percent of the possession.
Their pressure counted for little when a penalty was awarded against them in the 77th minute. Lowe stepped up and sent goalkeeper L. Burge the wrong way to put the Championship side ahead. Salford's frustration showed as they collected four yellow cards in the second period, including one for Woodburn for dissent.
Looking ahead
Cklamovski made a series of changes in search of an equaliser, introducing Oliver Turton, Frankie McMahon-Brown and Daniel Udoh, but his side could not find a second goal. The defeat is a setback in a competition that offered a chance to build momentum. The team will need to regroup quickly for the league encounter at Boundary Park, where they will aim to return to winning ways and climb the standings.
Sheffield Wednesday's next substitution saw Samuel Duruh replace Akpobi in the 88th minute, as they saw out the victory. Salford's final change came in the 90th minute when Adebola Oluwo came on for Zachariah Olumide Awe.
Sheffield Wednesday manager Henrik Pedersen praised the impact of two debutants after his side's win. Pedersen said of Joel Akpobi, who assisted the equaliser, "He was so nervous. But he did it really, really well." Will McPartland also made his full debut and was involved in the move that won the decisive penalty. The defeat ended Salford's recent run of three wins from their last five matches in all competitions.
