Josh Windass scored a 123rd-minute winner in front of his overjoyed father as Sheffield Wednesday earned promoted to the Championship with a 1-0 win over 10-man Barnsley in the League One Playoff final at Wembley.
The two rearguards won out during a goalless opening 90 minutes, as Barnsley also survived a straight red card to Adam Phillips early in the second half and gave Darren Moore‘s defenders plenty to think about.
However, Wednesday piled on the pressure in extra time, and in the third and final minute of added time, Windass’s diving header broke Barnsley hearts and sent the blue and white army into unrestrained pandemonium.
Compared to the Owls’ madcap semi-final encounters with Peterborough United, the first half at Wembley was a much more closely-fought affair, with few chances of note to report at either end of the field.
Challenges flew in left, right and centre early doors, and the first real half-chance fell to Dominic Iorfa on the volley with 10 minutes gone, but his attempt was a good height for Harry Isted, who palmed his strike into the air and away.
Moore’s side remained in the ascendancy as the sun beamed down onto the Wembley soil, but Barnsley held firm and restricted the Owls to sporadic sights of goal to get to half time with their clean sheet intact.
