Sheffield Wednesday boss Darren Moore bemoans "terrible" night for club

The Owls’ 12-match unbeaten run in League One came to a shuddering halt after Ross Stewart’s hat-trick put the hosts on course for an emphatic victory that sends them top.

Wednesday’s defence was shambolic as they fell 3-0 down inside just 41 minutes and it could have been far worse.

It was their first game in almost three weeks after lay-offs due to Covid but Moore refused to use that as an excuse.

“I was just really disappointed because we came today looking to get into the top six and three valuable points would bring us closer to that,” he said.

“We looked at doing the double on them - the first chance to do that on a team this season - and we spoke about that.

“We started the game bright. We were okay; Sunderland are real fast starters here but we took the game away from them.

“But then you can’t have basic elementary switches off like we did tonight that cost us goals.

“Okay, the first goal was really debatable if it was offside or not but we just never seemed to recover after the second goal and then we gave some basic elementary goals away.

“Did I see that result coming? Certainly not.”

Moore conceded it was worrying seeing such a collapse.

“That was it: the fact that once the second goal went in we almost gave up the chase and yet there was a game going on,” he added.

“I never saw that coming as over the months we’ve seen resilience from the team and so today was just a disappointing night.

“I just said the best thing for them is that there’s another game in a couple of days to work towards.

“But tonight was a terrible performance and not a performance I expected to see from a Sheffield Wednesday side.

“I’ve had a go at them tonight. I’ve let it be known that the standards out there are not good enough.

“I can’t display what was said in there but rest assured I’ve had a go at them.”

It was the club’s biggest defeat in 21 months and they saw centre half Chey Dunkley limp off with a hamstring strain in the first half which leaves him doubtful for Sunday’s trip to Shrewsbury Town.