Cameron Dawson saves two Cardiff penalties and helps send Sheff Wed through

Posted Sunday, January 07, 2024 by PA

Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Cameron Dawson saved two penalties inside the opening seven minutes in his side’s 4-0 FA Cup win against Cardiff.

Josh Windass fired the Owls ahead in the second minute in a whirlwind start to this third-round tie at Hillsborough before Dawson kept out quickfire spot-kicks from Ryan Wintle and Callum Robinson.

The 28-year-old keeper was in inspired form for his hometown club, pulling off a string of further saves to keep Cardiff at bay, while Romaine Sawyers’ own goal and Liam Palmer’s stunning volley put the Owls 3-0 up at half-time.

Cardiff squandered a long list of second-half chances and Owls substitute Mallik Wilks completed the scoring in added time.

The Owls, still in the bottom three, but enjoying a mini-revival after winning five of their last eight league matches, took the lead in the second minute.

Windass received a pass from Palmer outside the penalty area and arrowed a superb shot into Cardiff goalkeeper Jak Alnwick’s bottom right-hand corner.

Within the space of the next five minutes, Cardiff twice squandered chances to draw level from the spot to the delight of the home fans in a sparse 10,955-crowd.

Dawson saved Wintle’s fourth-minute penalty with an outstretched hand after Anthony Musaba’s foul on Andy Rinomhota.

The Bluebirds were then awarded another penalty by referee Thomas Kirk three minutes later when Kion Etete went down under Michael Ihiekwe’s challenge and this time Dawson flung himself to the left to keep out Robinson’s effort.

Cardiff spurned further first-half chances as Josh Bowler fired narrowly wide and Rubin Colwill had two efforts saved by Cameron and another blocked.

Wednesday doubled their lead in the 38th minute when Ihiekwe beat Alnwick to a corner and his thumping header was deflected in off Sawyers.

The Owls appeared to have put the tie to bed two minutes later with their third goal as Palmer chested down Ollie Tanner’s poor clearance on the edge of the box and dispatched a fine volley inside the far post.

In an end-to-end first half, there was still time for Wednesday’s Momo Diaby to crash a 30-yard shot inches wide and for Dawson to deny Robinson and Etete with two more impressive saves in quick succession.

Cardiff continued to create chances after the break, with Rubin Colwill, Robinson and Tanner narrowly missing the target.

Wilks forced Alnwick to save before further missed Cardiff chances from Robinson, substitute Cian Ashford and Perry Ng summed up the visitors’ evening.

Dawson spilled Bowler’s shot, only for the ball to spin back into the goalkeeper’s arms off the goal-line before Wilks raced clear to score the Owls’ fourth in the closing stages.