Brighton 1 Sheffield Wednesday 1 (Agg: 1-3) - Owls survive tidal wave of attacks at Brighton to march on Wembley

The Owls will do so having seen off Brighton & Hove Albion over 180 minutes to the tune of three goals to one.

That scoreline, however, reveals little of the pulsating drama that saw 2,041 travelling fans put through the emotional wringer in a manner only the play-offs can manage before, finally, being able to celebrate reaching the final.

GALLERY - Relive Sheffield Wednesday’s memorable play-off semi-final win against Brighton

With Carlos Carvalhal’s men leading 2-0 from Friday’s first leg at Hillsborough, the hope among the visitors was that the return would be little more than a serene procession towards that May 28 promotion decider.

Instead, an utterly absorbing evening threatened more twists and turns than the Crazy Mouse rollercoaster ride that sits at the end of Brighton Pier.

The Seagulls, attempting to become the first team to overcome a two-goal first-leg deficit in 30 years of play-offs in the second tier, threw everything at the Owls in a first half that yielded a staggering 17 efforts on Keiren Westwood’s goal.

That Wednesday were able to progress to the final despite this onslaught owed everything to the agility of Westwood and a quite fortuitous goal from the Owls that came totally against the run of play.

Ross Wallace was the scorer just before the half-hour and it proved the decisive moment, even allowing for the plethora of chances that the Seagulls continued to create.

Still, all is well that ends well and the Owls can now look forward to a likely meeting with Hull City at Wembley that will decide who will next season be visiting Old Trafford, the Emirates, Stamford Bridge et al in league combat.

The crushing sense of disappointment felt by the hosts was evident in the faces of the home players at the final whistle.

Brighton had known history was against them ahead of kick-off with all five clubs who had opened up a 2-0 lead in the first leg of a second tier play-off semi-final having gone on to reach the final.

Chris Hughton’s men, however, refused to accept their fate tamely, instead producing the kind of high tempo performance that the situation required.

Anthony Knockaert, a surprise inclusion after being stretchered off at Hillsborough, was the Owls’ main tormentor. His trickery and vision meant Wednesday were never able to settle into proceedings, an early warning of what Carvalhal’s men could expect coming when the French wideman curled an exquisite free-kick against the inside of a post.

Wednesday were fortunate that the ball ran to safety and it was far from the only time in an engrossing first half that the visitors had reason to puff out their cheeks in relief.

Knockaert heading wide what seemed a simple chance was one of those along with two early shots in quick succession from Steve Sidwell and James Wilson that the Owls kept out by simply throwing themselves at the ball and hoping for the best.

All four of these let-offs came inside the opening 17 minutes so it was no surprise when Brighton went ahead through Lewis Dunk.

The already pumped up home crowd, who had all been provided with a free flag before kick-off, cranked up the noise levels even further and the fear was that Wednesday would wilt.

Instead, the visitors received an unexpected lifeline just before the half-hour.

A neat passage of play saw the ball spread wide to Jack Hunt.

He quickly found Ross Wallace, who cut inside to whip over a cross that was followed by Gary Hooper nudging Dunk just as he left the ground to attempt to head clear.

With Dunk suddenly off balance, the ball sailed over the pair and, with goalkeeper David Stockdale by now wrong-footed, it was soon nestling in the corner of the net.

Wednesday’s precious two-goal lead had been restored and Westwood ensured it stayed that way with a brilliant reflex save to deny James Wilson.

He continued in the same vein after half-time to keep out, first, Jiri Skalak and then Wilson before saving perhaps his best until last when blocking Dunk’s stoppage time thunderbolt.

By then, the visiting fans had found their voices and chants of ‘que sera sera’ were reverberating around Brighton’s home.

So, too, was a threat to their likely opponents at Wembley.

“Hull City, we’re coming for you…’ boomed the Wednesdayites as, moments after Westwood’s save from Dunk, the final final whistle blew and a place at Wembley was assured.

A first all-Yorkshire play-off final in the second tier had moved a step closer.

At a stadium sponsored by American Express, that’ll do nicely. Over to Hull City to complete the job tonight at home to Derby County.

Brighton & Hove Albion: Stockdale; Bruno, Greer (Rosenior 76), Dunk, Bong; Knockaert, Sidwell, Kayal, Skalak; Baldock (LuaLua 61), Wilson. Substitutes (not used): Maenpaa, Calderon, Crofts, Towell, Murphy.

Sheffield Wednesday: Westwood; Hunt, Lees, Loovens, Pudil; Wallace (Helan 66), Lee, Lopez (Hutchinson 46), Bannan; Forestieri, Hooper (Nuhiu 71). Substitutes (not used): Wildsmith, Sasso, Matias, Joao.

Referee: R East (Wiltshire).