Sports Buzz

Tag: Lee Gregory

  • Fallen giant’s ‘fairytale’ as son of cult hero sparks playoffs madness in 123rd minute

    Fallen giant’s ‘fairytale’ as son of cult hero sparks playoffs madness in 123rd minute

    Sheffield Wednesday is going back to the EFL Championship after Josh Windass scored in the dying moments of extra time to beat Barnsley 1-0 at Wembley.

    Windass’ diving header from the penalty spot in the 123rd minute of the playoff match put the Owls 1-0 up over its promotion rival, who were down to 10 men.

    The goal, scored with six seconds of extra time to play, further cemented the Windass name into English football’s playoff folklore, after his father, Dean, scored a late winner at Wembley that earnt Hull City promotion to the Premier League 15 years ago.

    Get all the latest football news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!

    Barnsley was playing with ten men for more than 70 minutes after Adam Phillips was controversially sent off early in the second half. In the 49th minute, Phillips lunged in on Lee Gregory and copped a straight red card from referee Tim Robinson.

    Five minutes later, Barnsley came agonisingly to a goal when Liam Kitching cleverly diverted a shot onto the Wednesday crossbar.

    A stunning extra-time goal from Wednesday substitute Will Vaulks, where his first-time shot flew into the top corner, was disallowed when assistant referee Akil Howson raised his flag for offside.

    But the 44,000 Wednesday fans celebrated in style when Windass replicated his father’s heroics in the dying moments of the match, ensuring the Owls returned to the Championship after a two-year hiatus.

    Sheffield Wednesday players celebrate. Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

    “It’s the stuff dreams are made of,” Sheffield Wednesday boss Darren Moore said.

    “You couldn‘t write it. It finished a titanic game that ebbed and flowed both ways.

    “This is a special moment for me because it means so many people in Sheffield are happy and positive. When a football club does well you see the knock-on it has in the city, in the community.

    “It goes to show that the impossible can be achieved. It‘s a fairytale story.”

    Wednesday finished the regular League One season third on 96 points, the highest total in EFL history that did not lead to automatic promotion.

    The Owls lost 4-0 in the first leg of their semi-final against Peterborough, but miraculously fought back the following week to book their spot in the playoff against Barnsley. Monday’s victory, which Wednesday skipper Barry Bannan called “the best moment of my life”, wrapped up one the most dramatic paths to promotion in the league’s history.

    Wednesday accompanies Plymouth and Ipswich into England‘s second tier.

    Darren Moore, manager of Sheffield Wednesday. Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
    Sheffield Wednesday fans celebrate. Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

    Source link

  • ‘One of the best comebacks ever’: Fallen giants erase FOUR-goal deficit in last-gasp chaos

    ‘One of the best comebacks ever’: Fallen giants erase FOUR-goal deficit in last-gasp chaos

    Sheffield Wednesday booked their spot in the League One play-off final in the most dramatic of circumstances, coming back from 4-0 down on aggregate to beat Peterborough on penalties.

    Wednesday copped a brutal beating in the first leg of their play-off semi final as Peterborough, who went into the contest as heavy underdogs, stunned the football world.

    Stream Over 50 Sports Live & On-Demand with Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

    Roared on by a packed house at Hillsborough in Sheffield, the home side scored as early as the ninth minute thanks to a Michael Smith penalty.

    One goal then became two in the 25th minute when Lee Gregory got on the scoresheet and got the travelling Peterborough fans sweating a little more nervously.

    With 45 minutes remaining for Wednesday to complete the most remarkable of comebacks, Darren Moore’s side put the pedal to the floor and threw the kitchen sink at Peterborough.

    Centre back Reece James got Wednesday’s third in the 71st minute, setting up a thrilling finale as Hillsborough came to life.

    Despite Moore sending on several attacking subs, Peterborough continued to repel wave after wave of blue and white striped shirts.

    But there was to be one final twist deep in second half stoppage time.

    Wednesday midfielder Will Vaulks fired a long-range throw-in into the box which Peterborough cleared only as far as Barry Bannan who was lurking just outside the 18-yard box.

    Liam Palmer was ecstatic after scoring Sheffield Wednesday’s fourth with the final kick of the game. (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

    MORE COVERAGE

    Football madness as West Ham players leap into crowd fight, families attacked

    CL dream in sleeping giant’s grasp after four-goal rout as Aussie makes PL debut

    Rumour Mill: Man Utd target ex-Reds star; PSG eye City gun after Champions League masterclass

    Bannan laid the ball off to a teammate, with a cross floated up to substitute Aden Flint in the area.

    He nodded it down and Liam Palmer swept the ball home into the net to spark absurd scenes as fans spilt onto the field to celebrate.

    Palmer’s effort turned out to be practically the last kick of the game in normal time, as Wednesday’s 4-0 scoreline pushed the contest into extra time.

    Despite the home side’s momentum, they were pegged back when Gregory conceded an own goal on the stroke of halftime in extra time.

    But in a game which had already spawned so much drama, there was more yet to come as Callum Paterson scored the equaliser in the tie and Wednesday’s fifth on the night in the 112th minute.

    From then on, both teams were relatively content to take it to a penalty shootout.

    Wednesday skipper Bannan won the toss to decide which end the shootout would happen and who would go first as the Owls’ Michael Smith stepped up first and coolly slotted home.

    Unfortunately Peterborough’s Dan Butler, who stepped up to take the visitors’ second spot kick, smacked his effort against the bar and was the only player from either side to miss.

    The Owls’ Jack Hunt was the man who scored the winning penalty as Wednesday fans giddy with joy rushed onto the field to celebrate.

    Wednesday players celebrate after winning the penalty shootout against Peterborough. (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
    Aden Flint celebrates with fans who raced onto the pitch after the penalty shootout. (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

    Considering no team in play-off history had ever overturned a deficit of three goals or more, those fans had every right to sing long into the night.

    Sky Sports pundits Clinton Morrison and Don Goodman were lost for words at the incredible scenes they’d witnessed at Hillsborough.

    “No one gave Sheffield Wednesday a chance, no one. At 4-0, you think the game’s over,” Morrison said.

    “They didn’t show their spirit in the first leg. They were knocked down and they came back.

    “Credit must go to Darren Moore. He was under huge pressure to deliver and his players have delivered. I can’t believe we’ve been here to witness this. This will go down as one of the best comebacks I’ve ever seen.”

    Goodman added: “I don’t know how they’ve turned this around. Honestly, I really do not know how that has just happened. Overturning a one-goal deficit is hard enough, two is the most that anybody has ever done. But to turn over a four-goal deficit is a miracle.

    “Your heart goes out to Peterborough, but you cannot help but admire the determination of this Wednesday club, players, coaching staff, owner. But those fans have driven those boys over that line.”

    Sheffield Wednesday will now play either Barnsley or Bolton Wanderers in the League One play-off final.

    Source link