John Windass scored a last-minute winner to help Sheffield Wednesday produce one of the narrow football scores of the weekend in the League One playoff final. Windass headed home in the closing seconds of extra time against a 10-player Barnsley team that had been down a man since the start of the second half due to Adam Phillips’ controversial red card. Windass’ father Dean, who scored the game-winning goal for Hull City at the same stadium in the Championship final 15 years earlier, did the same. The Owls return to the second tier after a two-year absence, capping off a remarkable season in which they amassed 96 points, the most in a season in their history and more than any other team never to win promotion in English football. They also pulled off a seemingly impossible comeback against Peterborough in the play-off semifinals after falling behind 4-0.
The second half got going pretty fast after the opening 45 minutes were relatively incident-free. Barnsley would have believed they should have been given a penalty just after the half when Lee Gregory brought down Liam Kitching in the box, but the referee and VAR disagreed. A few minutes later, Phillips was sent out for lunging into Gregory, leaving Barnsley with just 10 players. Although it appeared severe, VAR once more declined to step in.
Despite having an extra player, Wednesday was unable to score, and the game went into extra time. If not for some heroics from Harry Isted in the Barnsley goal, Luca Connell’s stunning miss at the other end, and an offside goal by Will Vaulks for the Owls, it appeared that penalties would be necessary to decide the outcome. And suddenly the victor emerged. Windass was assisted by Gregory, and Isted was helpless to save his powerful diving header.
“I’m really emotional, but I’m also very happy for everyone associated with the football team. It was simply incredible to win the game in that way with the feelings that today conveyed,” Sheffield Wednesday boss Darren Moore said. “It was a remarkable moment for the chance to come down that way so late in the game, the calmness of the cross, and Josh’s late goal. This season, there was a lot riding on the club. We could only cross the finish line if everyone worked together. That occurred today. We required it.”
“I am at a loss for words. They ran themselves completely into the ground, and it was their soldiers who were collapsing from cramps, so I had no more questions to ask. They gave me everything they had. Although I don’t think they were the greatest squad tonight, Darren and his team deserve credit for finishing the season as the third-best team in the league,” Barnsley manager Michael Duff said. “All season, we haven’t received a penalty. Although I haven’t seen it yet, many others have already informed me that it was a punishment. It wasn’t a red card, so I’m informed. There is no certainty that we would have won the penalties, but it’s difficult to lose like way. A youthful group finds it difficult to deal with. Couldn’t have asked for more, but I feel terrible for them. Afterward, you could see the tears. It is hard to accept since these young men gave their all.”
“The phrase “it doesn’t matter how you get the job done” couldn’t be more appropriate. Was Barnsley’s defeat deserved? Without a doubt. But Sheffield doesn’t give a damn. Wednesday,” Don Goodman said. “They persisted and completed the task. Although I kept thinking it wouldn’t be Sheffield Wednesday’s day thanks to Isted’s saves, Michael Duff will be quite happy with his team.”
“A very subtle character, [Moore] is. Though he dislikes taking credit, he is the one who accomplished what it took to erase that four-goal deficit,” McAnuff said. “They accrued 96 points throughout 46 games. Every other season is a given for promotion. He performed his duties. As far as what the other clubs accomplished, it was a freak season. They have earned the right to be one of the three promoted teams.”
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