Middlesbrough FC 2 Sheffield Wednesday 0: Atrocious Owls short-change proud fans as Boro make light of injury woes

But a quick dusting down of the history books shows that late-season meetings between the Owls and Middlesbrough have also been consequential over the years - for differing reasons.

Wednesday secured their top-flight safety at Boro’s expense in a Hillsborough encounter in May 1989. The Teessiders were also relegated from the big time in S6 in 1993.

On a more ignominious note for the Owls, they were famously demolished 8-0 by Boro’s all-conquering Division Two title-winning side - led by their future manager in Jack Charlton - at Ayresome Park in April 1974. The fiftieth anniversary arrives later this month.

In terms of the scoreline at least, this was by no means as bad as that occasion. Yet it was certainly painful as Wednesday reconfirmed what they are, a side down among the dead men.

Wednesday’s performance from the final period of the first half onwards and for the entirely of the second was simply atrocious against hosts whose injury count was into double figures, with one fit centre-half in their starting line-up.

A Boro side who have beaten the likes of Leicester, Southampton, Norwich and West Brom on home soil, yes - but also lost to Plymouth, QPR, Stoke and Millwall and failed to beat Rotherham or Huddersfield.

Ahead of kick-off, Birmingham were the only team in the bottom half whom Boro had beaten this term at the Riverside. Just one home league success had also arrived since Christmas.

The big development arrived in the run-up to the interval as Wednesday’s penchant for charitable concessions on the road reared its ugly head again. They never recovered.

Amid a crowded box following an outswinging corner from Sam Greenwood, Michael Ihiekwe got the final touch in a wretched and avoidable moment.

Minutes earlier, the blushes had belonged to Boro winger Isaiah Jones, who ballooned an effort over with the goal at his mercy after the hosts finally picked the lock and opened up Wednesday after slick play from Finn Azaz and Greenwood.

The ‘if only’ moments arrived from the visitors before that.

Early on, Marvin Johnson drilled a shot inches wide after a gem of a pass from Will Vaulks, while Anthony Musaba was agonisingly close to getting a telling touch in front of goal to Bailey Cadamarteri’s centre.

A sublime spin from Ike Ugbo left Matt Clarke for dead, but then the Owls loanee spoiled it with a wild and wayward finish.

Boro enjoyed plenty of controlled possession in the half, but Wednesday were safe and sound until a rough end to the half when they lost their way.

In that respect, half-time came at a timely juncture for the visitors, who needed to regroup after a first half which saw three of their players booked.

But it was the hosts who carried on from where they left off ahead of the break and started to find gaps at will.

A last-ditch clearance denied Latte Lath before strong appeals for a penalty were rebuffed after Lewis O’Brien went down following a clumsy looking Will Vaulks challenge, with Wednesday fortunate on two counts with the midfielder also on a booking.

Latte-Lath then got away from Ihiekwe, with James Beadle in the right place to keep out his strike with his legs.

Despite those early warnings and fortune in the opening salvoes of the half, Wednesday struggled to shape up and resembled a team of individuals here when they badly needed some order. Their care with the ball and decision making was reprehensible.

The scoreline was their friend for a fair period.

Latte Lath missed a big chance to seal the deal before Beadle earned his stripes to turn away Greenwood’s drive.

Then, Boro finally put the game to bed as the Owls were exposed on the break.

Luke Ayling slid in Jones, whose angled shot took a deflection off Bannan and sailed over Beadle.

It got worse for Bannan, who continued a daft penalty in a panicky moment symptomatic of the Owls’ performance, needlessly handling a cross.

Fortunately for his sake, Greenwood’s spot-kick rattled the post.

Wednesdayites showed tremendous spirit and defiance in the away end. They were short-changed by those on the green bit who showed rather less.

Middlesbrough: Dieng; Ayling, Howson, Clarke, Thomas (Engel 75); O’Brien, Barlaser; Jones (Dijksteel 83), Azaz (Gilbert 88), Greenwood; Latte-Lath (Silvera 84). Unused substitutes: Glover, Willis, Lennon, McCabe, Woolston.

Sheffield Wednesday: Beadle; B Diaby (Poveda 62), Ihiekwe, Famewo; Valentin (Iorfa 62), Vaulks (Hendrick 76), Bannan, Johnson; Ugbo (Smith 77), Cadamarteri (Gassama 45), Musaba. Unused substitutes: Dawson, Palmer, Fletcher, James.

Referee: M Donohue (Greater Manchester).