Wednesday ended our long wait for a home win at Hillsborough with a much-improved performance and deserved three points against play-off chasing Middlesbrough this afternoon.
We created 25 chances with 11 shots on target, saw a great double penalty save from Pierce Charles at a crucial time, and hit a late winner to chalk up a 2-1 victory which lifts us onto 56 points, leaving us in 13th place in the table with just two matches remaining.
The team looked sharper and more committed from the start, compared to recent games, and Barry Bannan soon tested keeper Mark Travers with a 20-yarder after good work by Djeidi Gassama.
However, Middlesbrough took the lead in their first attack on 11 minutes. Marvin Johnson gave away possession in our own half and Boro were able to work the ball across the penalty area before Finn Azaz strode forward in space to clip an angled shot across Charles and into the far corner of the net.
The visitors were then awarded a penalty on 20 minutes, Hayden Hackney allowed to dribble in from the byline before going down under a challenge from Svante Ingelsson.
A second goal at that stage would have been hard to come back from, especially given our recent form, but Charles pulled off a great double save from Tommy Conway’s spot kick and follow-up, with brother Shea blocking a second rebound from Azaz.
Despite the setback of conceding first once again, Wednesday continued to put some decent moves together and Josh Windass was close to an equaliser five minutes from the break when his fierce drive flashed across goal and just past the far post.
A poor pass out of defence from Barry Bannan provided Boro with another chance just before the interval but Charles went full length to keep out Marcus Forss’ low drive.
We came out in promising fashion again after the break, Windass seeing his 25-yarder blocked by the foot of Travers but the equaliser we deserved came on 54 minutes – and from Windass – for his first home goal since New Year’s Day, the same day that the S6 faithful saw our last Hillsborough victory.
Michael Smith sent a close-range header against the upright from Callum Paterson’s cross and when Ingelsson shot back towards the far post Windass was there to net in front of the Kop.
The visitors were posing few threats and it was Wednesday who continued to push forward in search of a second goal.
Anthony Musaba saw his shot deflected over after a flowing move and Windass had a low 25-yarder pushed away before Gabriel Otegbayo missed a great opportunity when he sent his header wide from six yards after another excellent Paterson cross.
Then, with 89 minutes on the clock, Wednesday grabbed that second goal our overall display deserved.
Paterson’s low centre from the right caused panic in the Boro defence on the six-yard line, they failed to clear properly and the ball hit Musaba almost on the line before rebounding into the net.
Windass then scuffed his shot across goal and wide when set up by Stuart Armstrong as Wednesday looked for a nerve-settling third on 94 minutes before Boro came so close to grabbing an undeserved equaliser three minutes later.
Delano Burzgord looked certain to score as the ball broke kindly to him in the box but Charles denied the substitute with another super stop and when Conway cracked the rebound against the underside of the bar and to safety we could finally celebrate a win at Hillsborough for the first time in just under four months.
P Charles, Valery, S Charles, Otegbayo (Palmer 86), Johnson, Bannan (Chalobah 90+3), Gassama (Musaba 46), Ingelsson (Armstrong 64), Windass, Paterson, Smith. Unused subs: Beadle, J Lowe, McNeill, Hatsuse, Kobacki. Attendance: 27,668.