Jones looking to push rivals right to the end

SHEFFIELD Wednesday manager Dave Jones stressed the importance of going into the play-offs on a high after allowing rivals Sheffield United to strengthen their grip on the second automatic promotion spot.

The Owls, who are still third, dropped two points against Colchester and are now four behind the second-placed Blades with only three games to play.

Jones said: “If we are going to go into the play-offs, we have to go in with good form. We don’t want to go into it on a dip and we have spoken about that to the players.

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“There is still a long way to go and, of course, I hope there will be more twists. But if it’s got to be via that route, we will go via that route.”

On the Blades increasing their advantage, he said: “We have to rely on them faltering – but that’s what it has been like since the day I walked in.

“Go back 10 or 11 games and people were talking about ‘being out of it’ anyway because of the games lost. Now, we are still in with a shout.”

The Owls have won seven and drawn two since Jones was appointed to replace Gary Megson six weeks ago and still have home games to play against Carlisle United and Wycombe Wanderers either side of an away trip to Brentford.

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Jones admitted that the quality of his side’s display at Colchester had not been up to recent standards but also felt referee Carl Boyeson and his linesmen gave ‘big decisions’ the wrong way.

Owls winger Michail Antonio was twice flagged offside with only the goalkeeper to beat.

“When we needed that little bit of luck, and the linesman to get it right, he got it wrong,” said Jones. “That’s the sad thing about it. You can’t be offside from a goalkick and Antonio was onside.”

Colchester manager John Ward, significantly, had made reference to ‘big clubs’ getting ‘big decisions’ in the match programme.

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“I read John’s programme notes before the game about ‘big decisions’ and that is a big decision for us,” Jones sighed. “I can see it. The linesman has got to see it as well. I told him ‘he’s not offside’ but he wouldn’t believe me. You need the officials to be spot on and unfortunately for us he was spot on for John Ward and not for us.”

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