Sheffield Wednesday v Middlesbrough FC: Drama for both but bitter end to 'season of contrast' means Owls' has little to do with football

As they try to sneak into the Championship play-offs, Middlesbrough will no doubt be glad all the pantomime will be around Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough on Easter Monday.

Tommy Conway's stoppage-time winner at home to Plymouth Argyle has left Boro three points off the play-offs with three games left, the last at sixth-placed Coventry City.

Wednesday’s season is completely over but refusing to go quietly.

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A 2-0 defeat at Stoke City, aided by highly-rated teenage goalkeeper Pierce Charles kicking one in off the back of Ben Wlimot, means they now have the Championship's worst record since the January 15 fans forum where chairman Dejphon Chansiri highlighted the rift with manager Danny Rohl that the latter had already made public.

Fans are divided on whether or not or how to protest before and during Monday’s game, and where the balance of blame sits between Chansiri and Rohl for a car-crash second half of the season.

Rohl lobbed in another hand grenade after Friday's defeat, claiming his players were not good enough to play "my football".

“If you want to improve as a club, you have to do a lot of things right in the summer, otherwise next season will be a big, big fight to stay in this league," warned Rohl.

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Amidst all the psychodrama, perhaps it is no surprise he has suggested the club needs to look for players without mental scars.

PYSCHODRAMA: Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl  (Image: George Wood/Getty Images)placeholder image
PYSCHODRAMA: Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl (Image: George Wood/Getty Images)

"If your heart is hurt very often then it's hard to change so quickly," said Rohl, who has blooded Charles since the last international break and given gametime to youngsters Gabriel Otegbayo and Charlie McNeill. "We've changed a lot and this is a big compliment to my players.

"Every player of every age here was open-minded to a lot of things and I see their development but I see we cannot do it consistently at the highest level.

"If you want to achieve more in the Championship than we did this season then you have to perform at the highest level again and again and again."

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Wednesday are winless at Hillsborough since New Year’s Day – and anywhere for the last six matches.

HUGE GOAL: Middlesbrough's Tommy Conway (Image: Alex Livesey/Getty Images)placeholder image
HUGE GOAL: Middlesbrough's Tommy Conway (Image: Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

"When I look to our home games and you read all the data, from eight games, seven times I had the feeling we should win,” argued Rohl. “Then sometimes it's momentum.

"The two headlines for me this season are that it's a 'What if?' season and a season of contrast – between the home performance and away, you see the defence and the offence and there is a gap.

"To close this gap you have to improve, to develop the squad, the players, the club.”

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For his part, Carrick is just happy to be involved in a drama which is all about football.

IN THE THOCK OF IT: Middlesbrough coach Michael Carrick (Image: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)placeholder image
IN THE THOCK OF IT: Middlesbrough coach Michael Carrick (Image: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)

After 90 minutes on Friday, they looked to have blown it, heading for a 1-1 draw with relegation fodder Plymouth after consecutive defeats. Conway's goal, though, has revived their hopes.

"It's there now," said Carrick. "For us, it's about winning games and Monday's the next one.

"It's the time of year when everything matters and we're right in the thick of it.

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“It was a massive goal. It keeps us moving. It keeps us going along and keeps us there. Things can change rapidly."

Riley McGree is set to miss out after a knock in training on the back of his return from plantar fasciitis the previous weekend.

Michael Ihiekwe is unlikely to feature for the Owls. The centre-back was named in Friday's starting line-up but withdrawn after a deep cut left him unable to put on his boots comfortably in the warm-up.

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