Defensive errors prove costly for Owls

Wednesday’s recent good run and unbeaten home league record came to an abrupt halt in a poor home display against Middlesbrough on Friday night.

Two quickfire strikes early in the second half put Boro in control and, despite another excellent long-range goal from Adam Reach and a late rally, the visitors left S6 with the three points and went to the top of the Championship table.

Despite a typically lacklustre opening half from Wednesday at Hillsborough, we created the two best chances, with Adam Reach seeing his header clip the crossbar and then his  angled drive flying just over the top with a helping glove from keeper Darren Randolph.

Boro looked far from convincing themselves in the first half but took advantage of poor defending to strike twice in the opening minutes of the second 45.

When we failed to clear on our left-hand side, Mo Besic pounced to fire home on 49 minutes. Ten minutes later Tom Lees dwelt on the ball, his panicky backpass fell to Besic and he broke clear to tee up the second for Britt Assombalonga.

All appeared lost but, with eight minutes remaining, Reach struck with a cracking volley into the corner of the net from the edge of the box.

The goal gave us some late momentum and we almost grabbed an unlikely equaliser in a  last-minute frantic goalmouth scramble. However, it was very much a matter of too little, too late, with the defeat likely to see us slipping down the table from our sixth place after Saturday’s games.

Dawson, Palmer, Lees, Hector, Thorniley, Pelupessy, Bannan, Reach, Penney, Fletcher, Joao (Nuhiu 63). Att: 23,284.

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