Stevenage 5 Sheffield Wednesday 1: Wednesday’s night to forget is compounded as Johnson sees red

Owls boss Gary Megson made just the one change to his starting line-up following Saturday’s win over MK Dons, but the visitors found themselves three down inside 20 minutes – and 4-0 behind at the interval.

Craig Reid got the hosts on their way when he pounced on a loose ball after goalkeeper Richard O’Donnell could only parry Ronnie Henry’s fierce shot.

Four minutes later it was 2-0 after John Mousinho steadied before rifling a low shot past O’Donnell’s despairing dive. With the travelling fans already stunned, Wednesday then found themselves three down in just the 17th minute when Michael Bostwick crashed in a shot.

The visitors offered precious little in reply, save for a Ben Marshall effort which was well saved by Chris Day, and then to add insult to injury Stevenage bagged a lucky fourth eight minutes before half-time when Lawrie Wilson deflected a shot past O’Donnell.

Megson threw on Jermaine Johnson, Reda Johnson and James O’Connor after the restart, but it affected little and Darius Charles scored the hosts’ fifth with a smart finish in the 67th minute.

Gary Madine grabbed a consolation from close-range seven minutes later, but a disastrous night got even worse with three minutes to go when Jermaine Johnson was sent off following a crude challenge on Scott Laird.

Stevenage: Day, Henry, Ashton, Roberts, Laird, Wilson, Bostwick, Mousinho (Walker 55), Long (Myrie-Williams 66), Reid (Edwards 77), Charles. Unused substitutes: Julian, Beardsley.

Sheffield Wednesday: O’Donnell, Buxton, Jones (Johnson R 46), Batth, Bennett (Johnson J 46), Marshall, Prutton (O’Connor 46), Semedo, Palmer, Madine, Morrison. Unused substitutes: Jameson, Lines.

Referee: D Sheldrake (Surrey).