Bradford 0 Sheff Wed 0: Depleted Wednesday are sent packing by Bradford

Megson would never admit to showing contempt by bending the rules but the Owls manager rested six first-teamers and made a hat-trick of early substitutions.

Under JP Trophy rules, participating clubs are obliged to start with a minimum of six players who have made the most appearances that season.

Owls goalkeeper Nicky Weaver spent less than two minutes on the field and midfielders David Prutton and Jose Semedo strolled off after 17 minutes.

The removal of the trio enabled fringe players Richard O’Donnell, Giles Coke and Cecil Nyoni to get in on the action – and, significantly, also meant the club avoided the financial penalties that could have resulted if they had started.

“No disrespect to the competition or Bradford – it’s fantastic that Johnstone’s Paint sponsor the competition – but we have to do what is right for Sheffield Wednesday,” Megson said, highlighting his preference for success in League One this season.

“We wanted to win but we have a massive (league) game against Charlton coming up.”

Megson’s stand-in players held out for 90 minutes but then performed woefully in the penalty shoot-out.

Although Coke found the net, Clinton Morrison, Liam Palmer and Chris Sedgwick all failed from the spot with Bradford goalkeeper Oscar Jansson saving twice.

Bradford scored three penalties with the minimum of fuss courtesy of Ritchie Jones, Michael Flynn and Ross Hannah, the latter a Sheffield-born striker playing against his boyhood idols.

New Bradford manager Phil Parkinson looked on from the stands as his side celebrated victory on the pitch at the end.

Parkinson had allowed coach Colin Cooper to conduct affairs from the touchline and a decision on his future at the club is likely in the next 24 hours.

Bradford were unchanged after picking up a first victory of the season against Barnet and each and everyone of the players in claret and amber was looking to make an impression on Parkinson.

After a promising start, Bradford were pegged back for long periods and captain Guy Branston twice needed to get in the way of goalbound shots from Morrison.

But as half-time drew near, the Bantams were at least gaining a foothold in a contest that could only be described as sterile.

Owls defender Ayo Obileye, only 16 and making his debut, was extremely lucky not to be punished for a string of defensive lapses.

Dispossessed on the flank by Mark Stewart just before the break, a subsequent cross into the centre was nodded wide by striker James Hanson.

Immediately after the break, Obileye under-hit a back pass but goalkeeper O’Donnell saved from Jack Compton to spare his blushes.

Moments later, he was caught flat-footed under pressure from Stewart and was rescued again by O’Donnell.

Had Megson not wasted his substititions, it is fair to assume that the teenager might have been removed from the fray.

Indeed, there were stages towards the end of the second half when the youngster even appeared to be asking to come off due to cramp.

Nigerian striker Daniel Uchechi also had to soldier on after being dumped on the grass by Branston and requiring lengthy treatment.

The Bantams looked the better side in the second half and were unlucky not to go ahead when a header from Luke Oliver was headed off the line by substitute Nyoni.

Jack Compton’s free-kick sailed narrowly wide as the Owls came under plenty of second-half pressure.

Goalkeeper O’Donnell pulled off a reaction save to keep out Ritchie Jones’s volley and Hanson shot wide after getting away from his marker.

Oliver then headed against the crossbar in stoppage time as the visitors managed to hold out for penalties.

The Owls have followed up the loan signing of Slovenian defender David Kasnick with a £100,000 move for Bury striker Ryan Lowe.

Kasnick, 24, joined the Owls on a four-month loan deal from Slovenian side Olimpija Ljubljana yesterday, subject to international clearance.

Lowe, 32, has signed a two-year deal after holding talks with the club yesterday and undergoing a medical.

With seven goals in seven games so far this season, he is undoubtedly a striker in form and a total of 53 goals in 98 appearances for the Shakers also proves that he is no flash in the pan.

The Owls are no longer considering a short-term move for former Portsmouth striker Lomana Lua Lua who attended the club’s last home game as a guest of chairman Milan Mandaric.

Bradford City: Jansson, Moore, Oliver, Branston, Threlfall; Mitchell (Bryan 72), Jones, Flynn, Compton (O’Brien 85); Stewart (Hannah 56) , Hanson. Unused substitutes: McLaughlin, Hunt.

Sheffield Wednesday: Weaver (O’Donnell 2); Palmer, Obileye, Beevers, Reynolds; Sedgwick, O’Connor, Semedo (Coke 17), Prutton (Nyoni 17), Uchechi; Morrison. Unused substitutes: Lines, Madine.

Referee: T Bates (Staffordshire).