Wednesday and MK Dons will have to battle it again for a place in the FA Cup Fourth Round following a lacklustre stalemate at Hillsborough.
There was little cup magic in a match the League One Dons will have been happier with in terms of the outcome, with chances few and far between for both sides.
For the Owls and manager Dave Jones, it leaves them with an unwanted midweek replay at Stadium:MK and a worry for the season ahead – the hosts may have made a few changes to the starting eleven but they were far from wholesale against a team a division lower who arrived in South Yorkshire with a number of injuries.
Stephen Bywater had a rare outing in goal, while Martin Taylor came in to give a break to Anthony Gardner and Chris Maguire started up front with Mamady Sidibe. In the visitors’ ranks were former Owls Ryan Lowe and Darren Potter, no doubt keen to inflict misery on their former employers.
Wednesday started the game well and had all the early play, which resulted in Sidibe – looking for his second goal in an Owls shirt – directing a header just over the bar from a Miguel Llera cross. The hosts also saw claims for a penalty for a foul on Maguire waved away by the officials.
The chance actually turned out to be Wednesday’s best of the opening 45 minutes as neither goalkeeper came under too much threat with defences on-top for the most part.
The visitors saw their own claims for a spot-kick turned down when Bywater and Lowe got involved in a tussle.
Any chances for the remainder of the first half were only half-chances as Antonio and Lee both saw attempts comfortably saved while at the other end Shaun Williams saw a free-kick smack against the home wall and deflect out for a corner just before half-time.
As with the first half Jones’s men started the brighter but could not find a way through a stubborn visiting back-line. Sidibe stole the ball on one occasion and a chance looked to be on for Antonio, but the through-ball was cut out.
It proved to be the on-loan Stoke striker’s last involvement, with Gary Madine brought on to replace him soon after, but the match continued to be a cagey one with neither side going gung-ho for the opener.
Jermaine Johnson was also introduced for Maguire as Wednesday looked to up their gear in the latter stages as Karl Robinson’s men got back into the contest – and went on to finish the stronger.
Ryan Harley fired a warning shot for the visitors and they finished with a flurry, with Williams having two good chances to see his side through to the next round when he first had an effort saved by Bywater and hit the post not long after as the Owls clung on.
Wednesday: Bywater, Buxton, Llera, Taylor, Mattock, Antonio, Prutton, McCabe (Semedo 87), Lee, Sidibe (Madine 55), Maguire (J Johnson 69). Unused substitutes: Davies, R Johnson, Corry, O`Grady.
MK Dons: Martin, Lewington, Kouo-Doumbe, Williams, Potter, Chicksen, Smith (MacKenzie 71), Lowe (Rasulo 90), Harley, Kay, Ismail (Alli 68). Unused substitutes: McLoughlin, Galloway.
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