Draw not enough on dismal day for South Yorkshire in the Championship
Sheffield Wednesday were relegated to League One today as a result of their 3-3 draw against Derby County at Pride Park.
The Owls knew that they could still up with a win of Rotherham United failed to beat Cardiff City. Rotherham led for much of their match but a late Cardiff goal saw the Millers relegated after their 1-1 draw. Unfortunately the Owls could not fulfil their side of the conundrum and so it is they who drop down along with Rotherham, rather than Derby.
The first half at Pride Park was a tense affair, prolonged by an injury to Martyn Waghorn who clattered into a post trying to get on the end of a Derby corner. The lengthy injury time worked in the Owls favour as they fashioned a chance from a long throw, Rhodes did well to stoop to get an effort on target and Sam Hutchinson bundled in the rebound to give them a half-time lead.
Knowing they needed at least a point, Derby responded quickly after the restart, Waghorn glanced home a header after some really slack defending by the visitors and within 4 minutes the home side were 2-1 up when Roberts picked up a loose ball and curled in a fine goal from 25 yards.
The Owls responded well and levelled with just under half an hour to go, Paterson pouncing on some poor defending in the Rams penalty area to sweep home for 2-2. With 20 minutes to go the game swung in Wednesday’s favour, Dunkley meeting a corner beyond the far post and heading across for Borner to nod in from virtually on the line.
With an unlikely escape in sight, Wednesday’s 3-man back line inexplicably allowed Jozwiak to make a run onto a pass in between them and Dunkley sent him sprawling in the penalty area. Waghorn beat Westwood with a well struck penalty and the Owls had it all to do again.
Wednesday huffed and puffed in the closing stages but couldn’t find a way through and they will play 3rd division football along with their local rival Rotherham next season.
Today was certainly a missed chance for the Owls but it was far from the main reason that they have suffered relegation and the fall out from a disastrous campaign will be analysed in detail over the days and weeks to come.