A ‘harsh lesson’ for Bailey Peacock-Farrell, as Sheffield Wednesday throw away victory at Ipswich Town

Playing for Nottingham Forest, way back in 1990, Crosby nipped in from behind Manchester City goalkeeper Andy Dibble to head the ball out of his outstretched palm and fire into an empty net.

The goal was allowed to stand and has been included on virtually every bloopers dvd since.

Well, you might just find Bailey Peacock-Farrell included in future compilations after the Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper’s amazing blunder gifted Ipswich Town a 90th-minute equaliser at Portman Road on Saturday.

With the Owls leading through Dennis Adeniran’s stunning first-half volley, Darren Moore’s side looked set to end a three-game run without a win.

But then came Peacock-Farrell’s moment of aberration.

In possession, he committed the cardinal sin of all goalkeepers in not looking behind him before releasing the ball.

The former Leeds United stopper failed to spot Macauley Bonne lurking behind, hanging around hoping for a schoolboy error. So when Peacock-Farrell dropped the ball at his feet, Bonne pounced, before the ball was squared to former Barnsley striker Conor Chaplin to fire into an empty net.

It was harsh on Peacock-Farrell, the on-loan Burnley goalkeeper who had twice rescued his team with good saves after defensive mistakes allowed Bonne to go clear.

“What’s happened has happened. I don’t need to say anything because we are one hundred per cent behind him,” said Owls boss Moore.

“We stick together as a team, we concede goals as a team, we score goals as a team.

“When you analyse his game, he has been absolutely terrific in everything he has done. There are probably one or two things he probably feels he could have done better at, but he can only learn from them. It’s a harsh lesson. If you look at all the games he has played, break them down, he has been absolutely superb. In the first half when Macaulay Bonne goes through, we were a bit static, and he saved us.

“We were screaming for him to roll it to the centre-back. It’s one of those things that happen in football, it won’t be the first and it won’t be the last.”

Many, like Rotherham United manager Paul Warne, rate Peacock-Farrell as the best goalkeeper in League One.

But after five clean sheets to start his Owls career, mistakes by the Northern Ireland international in his last two outings – he dropped a simple cross to gift Shrewsbury Town an unlikely equaliser a week earlier – have cost Wednesday four points. They are now closer to the relegation zone than automatic promotion, and the top two, in League One.

Moore though remains loyal to his goalkeeper and insists he will retain the gloves for Tuesday’s trip to leaders Wigan Athletic.

“We harbour on the negatives but the positives far outweigh the negatives, one hundred per cent,” said Moore, who has an injury doubt on captain Barry Bannan (knee) for Tuesday. “It’s my job as a manager to see through that.

“He will be fine, and he will go again on Tuesday. He’s a top goalkeeper, who I firmly believe will play regularly in the Premier League. That’s how I highly I rate this young man.”

Former Everton youngster Adeniran had fired the Owls in front, after Lee Gregory teed up his volley after 26 minutes, and the visitors looked set for victory.

But Adeniran insisted the dressing room were not blaming Peacock-Farrell for his error.

“Everyone knows Bailey is a top ‘keeper,” said the 22-year-old, after netting his second goal in Owls colours.

“For me he is the best ‘keeper in the league.

“We just put our arms round him and go again. He has saved us in the past and he will save us later in the season too. We just forget about it, he will take his medicine, and move on to Tuesday. There’s lots of positives to take from the game.”

Ipswich: Hladky, Donacien, Edmundson, Burgess, Penney, El Mizouni (Pigott 81), Carroll, Burns (Chaplin 75), Celina (Harper 75), Fraser, Bonne. Unused substitutes: Holy, Woolfenden, Aluko, Vincent-Young.

Sheffield Wednesday: Peacock-Farrell, Palmer, Iorfa, Hutchinson, Johnson, Adeniran, Wing, Berahino (Dunkley 84), Bannan (Paterson 66), Shodipo (Dele-Bashiru 69), Gregory. Unused substitutes: Brown, Wildsmith, Hunt, Sow.

Referee: A Davies (Hampshire).