Two first-half goals paved the way for Wednesday to complete our ‘great escape’ as victory at Sunderland ensured Championship survival this afternoon.
Manager Danny Rohl rightly took the plaudits in front of the sellout travelling Owls fans at the end of the game to salute his remarkable turnaround at S6, inheriting a team seemingly cut adrift with just three points from our first 11 games but then steering us to safety with 50 points from the remaining 35 matches.
And, if we wondered if last season’s ‘Miracle of Hillsborough’ could be bettered, arguably Mr Rohl has done so within his first 12 months at the club.
We began the better side at Sunderland and Anthony Musaba and Josh Windass both went close to opening the scoring as we sought a third successive win.
The home side then began to come more into the game and Luke O’Nien looked to have headed them in front but the effort was ruled out for offside.
And, just before the half-hour mark, it was Wednesday who went ahead … courtesy of long-serving pair Barry Bannan and Liam Palmer. Bannan picked out Palmer inside the box and he fired past keeper Nathan Bishop at his near post.
The home side went close again when Jack Clarke cut inside and saw his curling effort from the edge of the penalty area come back off the woodwork but Wednesday hit back soon afterwards with a second goal on 39 minutes.
Pol Valentin broke down the right, his low cross picked out Windass and he swept the ball home first time and in emphatic style from eight yards out.
While we went in two-up at the break, we had certainly ridden our luck on more than one occasion but the second half was very much a tale of few chances at either end.
Wednesday were largely happy to see out the game at 2-0 to complete the remarkable revival while the home side created few openings and the final whistle sparked great scenes of celebration on the pitch from players and staff alike and in front of the 2,600 Wednesday supporters situated high up behind the goal.
Manager Rohl said at his press conference on Thursday that he hoped to be celebrating with the Wednesday fans in Sheffield city centre on Saturday evening … over to you, Danny!
Beadle, Valentin (B Diaby 64), Palmer (Ihiekwe 89), Iorfa, Bernard, Johnson, Vaulks, Bannan, Musaba (Gassama 76), Windass (Paterson 64), Ugbo (Smith 76). Unused subs: Dawson, Famewo, M. Diaby, Cadamarteri.