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Sheffield Wednesday 4 Norwich 1
MAYBE, just maybe, the future is looking brighter again for Sheffield Wednesday.
Manager Brian Laws will be jumping out of a plane for charity this summer but, if the Owls had dropped into League One, there would have been no parachute to avert a crash landing.
Victory over Norwich City yesterday guaranteed the club's Championship survival and sparked emotional scenes at Hillsborough.
Now, the attention will turn to resolving off-the-field uncertainty and the battle to secure a takeover deal to end years of financial turmoil.
By the time the Owls return to action next August, the club should be in the hands of new owners and better equipped to challenge for a return to the Premier League.
It has been eight long years since this club waved farewell to the top flight but anyone who has any doubts that this club lacks potential should have witnessed the scene yesterday.
With 36,208 fans packed into the magnificent old stadium, many taking advantage of cut-price tickets, this was the Owls' biggest home gate for seven years and the biggest in the Championship this season.
When the game kicked-off, Hillsborough was rocking and – although there were a few scares before the end – the players ultimately rewarded the show of support with a comfortable victory.
But it was certainly a nervous start and an air of self doubt descended after just nine minutes when Norwich took the lead. Laws had taken a gamble by employing winger Jermaine Johnson at right-back in place of the injured Lee Bullen and the Jamaican allowed Darren Huckerby to escape his attention before drilling the ball into the roof of the net.
Self doubt turned into pure relief just moments later when Owls goalkeeper Lee Grant pulled off a sensational one handed save to deny Norwich a second.
The Owls had been cut apart again down the right and when Ched Evans squared the ball across the area for winger Matty Pattison, it looked inevitable that he would score.
Grant, however, stuck out a right arm to push the ball around the post, and the save was made even more incredible by the fact that he was diving the other way.
Sometimes in a game like this, a team needs a slice of luck to help settle the nerves. The Owls might even owe a debt of gratitude to referee Mark Clattenburg for awarding the penalty that helped stem the tide.
Norwich defender Jason Shackell asked for trouble by attempting a desperate tackle from behind on Deon Burton as the Owls striker bore down on goal and, although there appeared to be more contact with the ball than the man, Clattenburg immediately pointed to the spot.
Burton, who had failed from the spot last week against Leicester, showed great character to take responsibility again and, this time around, made no mistake. The goal lifted Wednesday's spirits, as did the news that arch-rivals Sheffield United were doing the best possible favour by taking the lead against Southampton.
But Norwich had not travelled north with their beach towels under the arm despite guaranteeing survival a week earlier.
And the Owls could easily have gone in trailing at half-time when Evans lobbed a shot inches over the crossbar with Grant stranded.
Johnson remained a liability on the right side of defence and the Owls found it tough to cope with Norwich's forwards – Dion Dublin using all his experience to unsettle the youngsters.
As the second half began, pressure on Wednesday had increased on the back of a Southampton equaliser against the Blades. It got even worse when Southampton took the lead.
At least, the Owls always had the security of knowing that their destiny lay in their own hands and, on 54 minutes, they took the most important step towards survival of the afternoon.
Israeli striker Ben Sahar, on loan from Chelsea, scored from close range after a ball across the box by Bartosz Slusarski. Hillsborough erupted into noise.
Amid all the tension and nailbiting pressure of the afternoon, there was still time for a generous salute to a modern great.
When former England international Dion Dublin, 39, waved farewell to the action 25 minutes from time, both sets of supporters stood as one to show their admiration. There were handshakes all round for the big striker, who is retiring this summer, but then it was back down to the serious business.
Burton's second goal of the afternoon, a glancing header from a Tommy Spurr cross, allbut guaranteed the Owls's survival with 14 minutes to play.
There was still time, however, for substitute Leon Clarke to confirm his transformation from 'zero to hero' with a second goal in consecutive fixtures to wrap things up. Every single Owls player, barring the goalkeeper, dived on Clarke to celebrate at the corner flag. They were not just toasting Clarke but also their own salvation.
Sheffield Wednesday: Grant; Johnson, Wood, Beevers, Spurr; Songo'o (McAllister 55), Bolder, Watson (Kavanagh 55), Slusarski; Sahar (Clarke 82), Burton. Unused substitutes: Burch, Esajas.
Norwich City: Marshall; Otsemobor, Doherty, Shackell, Bertrand (Pearce 74); Pattison (Croft 59), Fotheringham, Evans, Huckerby; Russell, Dublin (Cureton 65). Unused substitutes: Rudd, Chadwick.
Referee: M Clattenburg (Tyne and Wear).
MATCH FOCUS
HERO
Deon Burton: The striker showed a cool head to settle Wednesday's nerves from the penalty spot and his second was the killer for Norwich.
VILLAIN
The four youths who ignored orders to stay off the pitch at the final whistle.
KEY MOMENT
21st minute: Shackell's trip on Burton results in the penalty that gets the Owls back into the game.
REF WATCH
Mark Clattenburg. His common sense approach kept McAllister on the field when the Owls substitute committed one foul too many.
ENTERTAINMENT
Plenty of penalty box incident and a fantastic atmosphere made this an afternoon to remember.
VERDICT
The Owls avoid relegation with an emphatic victory and will now hope to do much better next season.
NEXT GAME
Derby County, Sheffield United, Barnsley and the rest. Far better than trips to Cheltenham or Oldham.
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Weather for Yorkshire
Saturday 26 May 2012
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