Officials’ big screen replay fiasco explained as disallowed goal leaves Sheffield Wednesday in bemusement

Callum Paterson’s first half goal was enough to see the Owls leapfrog their opposition to go top of the division for the first time since September 2021 as the result of a relentless four-month unbeaten run.

And it looked as if Wednesday had doubled their lead late on to ease their nerves when George Byers rolled home Mallik Wilks’ pass across the box to spark pandemonium on the sold out terraces.

That was until referee John Busby – who spends much of his time taking charge of Championship matches – spent some time in discussion with his assistant and ruled out the goal after some deliberation.

Incredibly, it appears the pair came to that assessment after watching a video replay of the incident on the Hillsborough big screen, leaving players and coaching staff bemused – with a passionate debate sparked between the two benches and with the fourth official.

“The referee said Lee was obscuring the goalkeeper,” Moore explained. “After a long, really lengthy discussion, it turns out they picked that up from the video replay instead of coming to the decision themselves. For 30 or 40 seconds it appeared it was a perfectly good goal.

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“Obviously having seen the video, I think it is the right decision. But it came through that after everyone had finished celebrating what we thought was a second goal.”

The goal would have been Byers’ fifth of the season on his successful return to the starting line-up. It also robbed Wilks of an assist just seven days on from his FA Cup goal against Fleetwood Town was awarded as an own goal Josh Earl.

A flabbergasted Liam Palmer said: “The less said on that the better from my side. I don’t think you can watch the screen and change your decision but I won’t say much so I don’t get in trouble.

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“It was an unbelievable decision.”