nPower Championship: Middlesbrough FC

It all comes down to this, the final day of the 2012/13 season. With the visitors already safe from relegation but with no play-off hopes to aim for, Sheffield Wednesday have a good chance of avoiding the drop but find themselves just a single point above the dreaded relegation zone at kick off time.

Sheffield Wednesday manager Dave Jones.

A bouncing Hillsborough greets the two teams as the home side gets the game underway. The Owls look to ease the nerves of the fans immediately and within 40 seconds the enigmatic Jermaine Johnson flashes a shot wide from just outside the box after beating his marker. More great work by J.Johnson sees him feed a cute ball to former Middlesbrough striker Leroy Lita - but the hitman is flagged offside as he advances on goal. As the crowd show their support with a terrific noise, Jeremy Hélan slides a ball into the box on the 4th minute but before Lita can pounce - André Bikey clears the danger. Another run into the box as Wednesday dominate the opening stages but the shot is deflected for a corner, only for Lewis Buxton's corner to be headed over by Seyi Olofinjana. A shot by the midfield battler moments later flies inches over the crossbar as Middlesbrough cannot keep up with the match at the moment. A 7th minute foul by J.Johnson on Rhys Williams gives Boro' a respite but only momentarily. The next attack sends Hillsborough into raptures as a through-ball finds Steve Howard who wriggles between two defenders before firing a shot into the back of the net from outside the area, courtesy of a clip off of the crossbar. An 18th minute corner by Danny Pugh almost doubles the Owls lead but a fingertip save by Jason Steele keeps it at 1-0. Williams is again fouled in the 21st minute, this time by Olofinjana - but Grant Leadbitter sees his set-piece cleared by Wednesdays Player of the Season; Buxton. A 23rd minute whipped cross by the lively Curtis Main evades his teammates and the home fans are relieved to see the ball go out for a goal kick. Two fouls in quick succession by Boro see momentum drop - first Andrew Halliday upends J.Johnson before Olofinjana is fouled by Leadbitter. When J.Johnson beats 3 men on the right in the 27th minute and whips a ball into the box, the away side can breath easy when the overhit cross evades all in blue & white. 20 seconds later and the Jamaican is at it again, beating 2 men before firing wide as Middlesbrough struggle to contain the lively fans favourite. A missed shot by Olofinjana quickly follows before the Owls earn a corner with Hillsborough anticipating a chance at goal. Those fans aren't disappointed as the 30th minute delivery by Buxton is headed home by Lita to give Wednesday a healthy 2-0 lead and send the stadium into meltdown! As Boro' look out of the contest, only a goal-line clearance by Christian Burgess prevents Howard scoring his second goal of the game as the Owls rally for a third following brilliant work by Hélan. A 36th minute wayward shot by Pugh precedes a Richard Smallwood foul on J.Johnson - resulting in Pugh taking the set piece, only for Anthony Gardner to foul the visiting keeper. When Miguel Llera gets to his feet again following a brave headed block in the Owls box the Spaniard is the recipient of a round of applause from the home fans. A save by Chris Kirkland in the dying moments of the half keeps the Owls 2-0 up and at this point, safe from the threat of relegation.

Leroy Lita celebrates his goal.

HT. A fantastic first 45mins for the Owls, if they were nervous going into the game those nerves aren't on show. Middlesbrough on the other hand don't look like threatening Kirkland and can be thankful for only being 2 down at the break. As the 'SWFC Community Dance Troupe' perform a dance that has seen them get to the Dance World Championships and the Owls' junior teams are paraded, they get a fantastic reception by the fans. Now, the HT snack is a decent one this week as I was at my sons 5th birthday party - hotdog, mini pizza, fries & onion rings all making their way to my stomach!

The away side get the 2nd half underway after the Owls have replaced J.Johnson with Kieran Lee. It seems as though Tony Mowbray has invigorated his team as the away side start the 2nd half on the offensive culminating with a Leadbitter shot saved by Kirkland. At the other end Steele saves well from Lita who latches on to a loose back-pass and failing in his one on one challenge. The 54th minute sees Ben Gibson replace Smallwood and Jose Semedo replace Olofinjana. The party atmosphere is buoyed when the Wednesdayites go through the songbook for all of the players but are almost silenced when Leadbitters corner is headed over by Gambian midfielder Mustapha Carayol. 6mins of fouls by both sides prevent any team getting a foothold on the game, Mowbray responds by substituting Carayol with Bryn Morris and Halliday for Adam Reach following a Kirkland save from a Leadbitter long-range shot. A 69th minute yellow card is shown to Bikey for fouling Semedo before Lita is again flagged offside. A period of stalemate ensues with neither side able to break forward and fouls being committed in the middle of the field. The incredible noise from the home fans continues as Lita heads a Pugh cross just wide but after staying down and receiving physio treatment - Lita brings his time at Wednesday to an end by being substituted in the 84th minute for Chris Maguire. He goes off to a massive round of applause and chants of the loanees name as the fans show appreciation for the Swansea man. After an uneventful final 10mins (including 4mins added time) the final whistle is blown and the celebrations are underway as Wednesday secure Championship football for next season.

FT. *GET IN THERE!!!* - a successful season in my opinion as the Owls avoid an immediate drop back to League One. It's had it's ups & downs but the end position of 18th (4 points clear of relegation) is a positive one. Bristol City, Wolverhampton Wanderers & Peterborough all fall through the relegation trap-door.

Attendance: 31,375 (comfortably the leagues highest attendance of the day)
Owls Man of the Match: The whole team, a collective good performance to see the job done. Special mention for JJ playing through the injury and Howard for his good up play but an all-round good team effort.



*Keep a look out for my end of season review soon!*