Barnsley vs Sheffield Wednesday. Sky Bet League One.
Wembley StadiumAttendance72,492.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet League One play-off final between Barnsley and Sheffield Wednesday at Wembley as a Josh Windass goal deep into extra-time steered the Owls into the Championship.
Monday 29 May 2023 18:58, UK
Sheffield Wednesday sealed promotion to the Sky Bet Championship as they beat Barnsley 1-0, with Josh Windass scoring the winner in the dying seconds at Wembley.
Just like his father Dean, who scored the winner for Hull City at the same stadium in the Championship final 15 years ago, Windass headed home in the depths of extra-time against a 10-player Barnsley, who had been a man short since early in the second half following Adam Phillips' controversial red card.
It sees the Owls return to the second tier after two years away, completing a remarkable season that saw them pick up 96 points - the most in a campaign in their history and more than any other side not to win promotion ever in English football - and complete a near-impossible comeback from 4-0 down against Peterborough in the play-off semi-finals.
Barnsley, meanwhile, were foiled in their attempt to bounce immediately back to the second tier. They face another season in League One.
After a largely incident-free first 45 minutes, the second half sparked very quickly into life. Just after the interval Barnsley would have felt they should have been awarded a penalty as Lee Gregory caught Liam Kitching in the box, although the referee and VAR felt otherwise.
Then, just a few minutes later, Barnsley were down to 10 players, as Phillips was dismissed following a lunging foul on Gregory. It looked harsh, but VAR again chose not to intervene.
Despite the extra man, Wednesday couldn't find the breakthrough and the final went to extra-time and, thanks to some heroics from Harry Isted in the Barnsley goal, a stunning miss from Luca Connell at the other end and a Will Vaulks goal for the Owls that was ruled offside, it looked as though the game was going to penalties.
But then came the winner. Gregory's cross found Windass, and Isted simply couldn't stop his powerful diving header.
Sheffield Wednesday manager Darren Moore on Sky Sports Football:
"I'm really emotional but really pleased for everybody connected to the football club. To win the game in that manner with the emotions of what today carried was absolutely tremendous.
"For the chance to drop that way so late in the game, the composure from the cross, and for Josh to get on the end of it and score late - a special moment.
"The expectation from the club this season was huge. The only way we could get over the line was everybody being together. We had that today. We needed it."
Barnsley manager Michael Duff on Sky Sports Football:
"I haven't got the words. I couldn't ask any more, they absolutely ran themselves into the ground, it was their men that were going down with cramps. They gave me absolutely everything. Credit to Darren and his team, over the season they were the third-best team in the league all season, but I don't think they were the best team today.
"We've not had a penalty all season. I've not seen it back but I have been told by quite a few people already that it was a penalty. I've been told it wasn't a red card. To get beat like that - there are no guarantees we'd have won the penalties - but it's tough. It's tough for a young group to deal with.
I couldn't ask for more, but I am gutted for them. You could see the tears afterwards. They're young lads and they gave everything so it is a tough one to take."
Two key moments in the game came early in the second half. The first when Barnsley were denied a penalty when Gregory caught Kitching in the box, the second just three minutes later when Phillips was sent off for a challenge on the same Sheffield Wednesday striker.
On the penalty not given...
Former Barnsley winger Adam Hammill on Sky Sports Football:
"Barnsley have every right to feel aggrieved today. I thought it was a stonewall penalty and I think if the referee looked at it again he might have given it."
Jobi McAnuff on Sky Sports Football:
"We have the luxury of VAR in the final to give the referee the opportunity of seeing it again. Otherwise you argue what is the point in having it. You see the contact there. It's a foul. No doubt about it, it's a penalty.
"For me it's a hard one in real time to see. So the VAR has to recommend the referee goes and has a look at it."
On the red card given...
Clinton Morrison on Sky Sports Football:
"It's difficult for the referee because he has jumped a bit, and his trailing leg has caught him. Just like the other one, go and have a look and see if you've made the right decision."
Hammill on Sky Sports Football:
"It's a difficult one. In real time it looked like a bad challenge. But you have the benefit of looking back at it. He's gone to play the ball, the lad has nicked it away from him and he's caught it with the trailing foot."
McAnuff on Sky Sports Football:
"If you get a room full of footballers to look at that, the vast majority would say that it's not a red card. It was reckless, but he hasn't endangered him. The contact was minimal, and the referee should have been sent over again [to the monitor].
"For me it's a wrong decision again."
Don Goodman on Sky Sports Football:
"It's a perfect case of it doesn't matter how you get the job done, just get the job done. Did Barnsley deserve to lose? Absolutely not. But it doesn't matter to Sheffield Wednesday.
"They kept going and got the job done. Michael Duff will be so proud of his players but it's Sheffield Wednesday's day, time after time when I thought it wasn't going to be with the saves of Isted."
McAnuff on Sky Sports Football:
"[Moore] is a very understated character. He doesn't like to take credit but what he did to turn around that four-goal deficit came from him.
"Over 46 games they accumulated 96 points. Any other season that is automatic promotion. He did his job. It was a freak season in terms of what the other clubs did. They've deserved the opportunity to be one of those promoted three clubs."
Former Barnsley winger Hammill on Sky Sports Football:
"I'm devastated for Barnsley. They've given absolutely everything. Everyone at the club can be proud of the players for the way they performed.
"They showed commitment, a willingness to fight, threw bodies on the line and unfortunately the last kick of the game was the one that decided it.
"Duff will be using this as fuel. He'll realise how well they've done this season and he'll be reiterating that to his players.
"Once you fall it is important to get up quickly. I am sure they can secure automatic promotion next season with the young squad that they have."
Having achieved promotion, Sheffield Wednesday will play in the Sky Bet Championship during the 2023/24 season, while Barnsley will remain in League One for another year. Both divisions start on the weekend of August 5-6.
