Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Middlesbrough and Sheffield Wednesday at the Riverside Stadium as goals from Yannick Bolasie, Josh Coburn and Duncan Watmore push the Owls closer to the drop
Saturday 24 April 2021 18:52, UK
Sheffield Wednesday's position in the Sky Bet Championship is hanging by a thread after they crashed to a 3-1 defeat at Middlesbrough.
The Owls are four points adrift of safety with two games remaining after they were beaten on Teesside, and must avoid defeat in their last two matches against Nottingham Forest and Derby to have any chance of avoiding the drop to League One.
They looked to be heading for a positive result when Josh Windass' penalty cancelled out Yannick Bolasie's opener at the end of the first half, but second-half goals from 18-year-old substitute Josh Coburn and Duncan Watmore enabled Middlesbrough to claim their second success in the space of four days.
Boro completed a quickfire South Yorkshire double after triumphing at Rotherham on Wednesday night, making the most of some poor Sheffield Wednesday defending to claim all three points.
Bolasie was a constant threat for the hosts as he drifted across the frontline, and, while he failed to find the target with a low effort in the sixth minute, the Everton loanee claimed the opener 14 minutes later.
Julian Borner's poor first touch enabled Bolasie to win possession, and, after advancing into the right-hand side of the area, the Boro forward drilled a low shot into the bottom corner via a slight deflection off Tom Lees.
George Saville headed over as the home side continued to press, but with their Championship status on the line, Wednesday's players gradually roused themselves as half-time approached.
Andre Green's deflected effort whistled just past the post, before Borner spurned an excellent opportunity when he hooked wide from eight yards out.
The Owls were the better side in the closing stages of the first half, and their superiority was rewarded as they equalised six minutes before the break.
Green was tripped by Marc Bola as he dribbled across the face of the 18-yard box, and, with Barry Bannan having been removed from penalty duties after his miss against Bristol City last weekend, Windass stepped up to fire a low finish past Jordan Archer.
Windass should have claimed a second goal four minutes after the interval, but, after breaking on to Green's square ball in the area, the striker side-footed wide from close to the penalty spot.
Adam Reach was denied by a well-timed challenge from Grant Hall as he broke into the box moments later, but, while Wednesday dominated possession for most of the second half, they fell behind in the 73rd minute.
Coburn had only been on the field for eight minutes when his persistence in the Wednesday box won a corner. A short-corner routine resulted in Neeskens Kebano crossing from the right, and Coburn angled a header into the bottom corner to claim his first goal on only his second senior appearance.
Boro made the points safe from another corner with nine minutes left, with Watmore scrambling home from close range after Bolasie's header was blocked.
Middlesbrough's Neil Warnock: "He [Josh Coburn] has done really well in training and worked his socks off. He took his goal well. When you look at it again, it's not an easy one. It's a really good header. He deserves it. The lads give him a round of applause and signed his shirt. He'll be a happy lad tonight like Connor [Malley] was the other night.
"I don't think we can rush these young lads. I was going to put Josh on a bit earlier but Blacky (Kevin Blackwell) said it's a bit physical. But 10 minutes later I thought, 'Sod it, there's nothing to lose'. He battled well though. He won all of his headers. It wasn't just his goal, was it? He was determined and you could see how much desire he has."
Sheffield Wednesday assistant Jamie Smith: "We've still got a chance. Mathematically, it's still possible, so we will keep fighting. It's must-win in the next game, but to be honest, it's been like that for the last few weeks. We need to get three points in the next game - it's as simple as that. Whatever it takes, we have to go and get three points.
"We're obviously disappointed with the result - we felt we should have got something from the game. We're disappointed with the goals we've conceded - a lack of concentration has cost us. Players have to take responsibility to not switch off from set-pieces. They have to be focused and be ready. We've generally been well-organised from set-pieces, but today wasn't like that."
