"So unnecessary.." Danny Röhl admits Sheffield Wednesday defeat to Cardiff City is 'hard to take'

The Owls took more than twice the number of shots than the visitors and took over 60 per cent possession, but saw Anthony Musaba's classy first half effort cancelled out late on by two deflected efforts past Cameron Dawson.

A late rally put the Bluebirds under pressure but couldn't bring things back to parity, leaving many Owls figures scratching their heads as to how they didn't manage to take something from the match. With other results at the bottom of the table largely going Wednesday's way, it only served to compound a headache.

Speaking in the moments after the final whistle, Röhl expressed his own bemusement at his side's inability to see the game out but was philosophical on the need to dust themselves down ready for back-to-back away trips to Coventry City on Boxing Day and then Preston North End on December 29.

"It's hard, it's hard to take and so unnecessary, this defeat," he said. "We controlled the game and it was not so easy to do so with the wind. There were a lot of long balls and second balls, we got the feeling and got the ball on the ground to get a fantastic goal, Anthony made a good movement to finish well. Then we controlled the game.

"It was then about defending well and at the moment scoring the next goal. It was front foot, more possession, all the stuff we want to have. But it is about results. It was their first shot in the second half, their 1-1, we had a shot from Bailey at a tricky angle. And then it was unlucky."

Last weekend Wednesday won out a match against QPR in which they hadn't created a vast glut of chances, twice scoring late to take a 2-1 win. The similarities weren't lost on Röhl, who again pressed home the need to bounce straight back from the gut-punch of defeat and begin to claw back on the six point deficit to the safety spots.

"A week before we had this moment on our side and today we are not so happy," he said. "This is football. Today we are disappointed but tomorrow we must go ahead and prepare for the next game, this is the most important thing, it is key. To be ready and online the whole time. This is what we have to do."