Dons weren’t brave enough during defeat to Sheffield Wednesday

David Kasumu and Scott Twine look on in frustration after two late goals from Sheffield Wednesday see them overturn a 1-0 deficit with eight minutes to go at Hillsborough

Liam Manning urged his side to be braver on the ball after MK Dons conceded twice in the final seven minutes at Hillsborough to lose 2-1 to Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday night.

Leading through Scott Twine’s stunner on 46 minutes, Dons looked as though they could hold on for a second clean-sheet in a row but Lee Gregory’s header on 83 minutes levelled things up for the Owls before Josh Windass’ strike in stoppage time won it.

Dons were too loose in possession - a trait rarely levelled in their direction this season - and allowed Wednesday to piled the pressure on in the second half, facing 14 corners during the game as the hosts hemmed them in before eventually breaking through.

Manning said his side defaulted into a defensive stance after taking the lead, rather than trying to get on the ball and attack, and said they needed to be braver.

“When we scored so early, we sat back and went into block and turned over the ball too cheaply,” he said afterwards. “We’ve done it too often, going ahead and going straight into block as default, rather than taking the sting out of it by dominating the ball.

“It was a tough one to take, especially with the timing of the goals. I cannot question the desire and attitude, but what it came down to was our quality in possession.

“We had to show more bravery. It’s tough, coming to a place like this with the momentum and noise that 20,000 people here bring. We had to be brave, step up and be on the ball, manage it at 1-0 up. Keep the ball, take the sting out of the game and get the fans on their back by doing that.

“We didn’t do that well enough when we could have. It was there to build and keep the ball and we didn’t do it well enough.

“We created a couple of good chances in the first half, and you’re not going to get many at places like this and when you get them you have to take them. At half-time, I asked them to be braver and manage the game that way.”