Diving debate dominates before Maguire breaks derby deadlock

This Hillsborough game was a typical Yorkshire derby, gritty rather than pretty, and while never dirty it did see three red cards flashed by Premier League referee Andre Marriner.

Until Maguire’s ‘97th’ minute winner against nine-man Barnsley, it did seem the major talking points were going to centre around Marriner.

Not so much the three red cards as all seemed warranted, Reds debutant Emmanuel Frimpong being the first to go, departing on 31 minutes for two deserved yellow cards.

Owls substitute Jermaine Johnson was then shown a straight red card for an over-the-top challenge on Brek Shea, and Jacob Mellis allowed his frustration at not being awarded a late penalty after a tangle with Miguel Llera to get the better of him, launching himself at Jacques Maghoma.

It was the issue of diving which proved contentious. Maguire went down in the penalty area in the first-half, but was booked for simulation; the striker claims he slipped and did not even appeal for a spot-kick.

Then another Reds debutant, Jack Hunt, followed Maguire into the referee’s notebook for diving at the other end of the field.

Those two were booked, but there seemed numerous other incidents which could have been classed as simulation on both sides which left both the Owls and Reds unhappy at the lack of consistency.

Maguire, fresh from picking up his man-of-the-match awards, stressed: “I am not a diver, not that type of player. I am an honest player. If I get touched, I go down.

“It’s disappointing to get a yellow when you see other players doing the same thing but getting away with it.

“A couple of weeks ago (at Burnley) I didn’t get a stonewall penalty, and (on Saturday) you think ‘has he seen that before and thinks I am a diver?’

“I can’t believe it. I said to the ref ‘I am not looking for a penalty’. I went to get in a tackle, pulled out and slipped.

“It’s just the consistency. The lad (Mellis) goes through at the end and tries to dive for a penalty but the ref waves play on and doesn’t book him.

“It’s disappointing to get another yellow card, they add up and get you a ban.”

Defeat was harsh on Barnsley, who had the best chances to score – even though the Owls had around 70 per cent of possession – but too often failed to break down their resilient visitors.

Twice Nick Proschwitz was thwarted, the on-loan striker from Hull City seeing his fierce strike smash into Jose Semedo on the line before being denied by goalkeeper Chris Kirkland with the rebound.

Even with 10 men, Barnsley were dangerous on the counter-attack, Dale Jennings breaking away to force Kirkland to claw his effort away for a corner.

For all Wednesday’s superior numbers and possession, they lacked creation and when the ball did reach Atdhe Nuhiu, the big Owls striker failed to test Reds goalkeeper Luke Steele with a succession of headers.

Wednesday debutant striker Benik Afobe was lively in the opening 45 minutes but faded after the break, though the on-loan Arsenal striker will surely improve as he gains full match fitness.

Owls’ head coach Stuart Gray threw on attack-minded Johnson and youngster Caolan Lavery as the hosts looked to break the deadlock.

But Steele had hardly been tested all game – he denied Kieran Lee’s attempted chip with a stunning save in the second half – and the visitors looked set to take a share of the spoils in this tussle between two Yorkshire sides once more fighting against relegation in the Championship. The closest Wednesday had gone to scoring was when Hunt struck his own post trying to clear a cross.

With the game moving into the 97th’ minute, as Marriner added time on for Mellis’s red card, an injury stoppage to Oguchi Onyewu and his subsequent substitution – which all came after the 90th minute – Maguire finally broke the stalemate.

Substitute Jim O’Brien failed to clear and with Maguire begging for the ball 25 yards out, Semedo rolled it towards the striker – he started in wide midfield but took over from Nuhiu for the final half-hour – and he drilled a low shot into Steele’s bottom corner.

“It was a great feeling, to score right at the end end,” said Maguire, 25. “The way the game was going, it was a huge lift for everybody. You look up at the scoreboard and you see time running out, you start to get a little bit desperate.

“When Semedo gave it to me, there was only one thing in my mind, to strike it, and, thankfully, it went in. It went straight through, the defender backed off; I think it took a little skip off the ground and flew in the bottom corner.

“I am pleased with getting a goal but, more importantly, it lifts the team up the league table.

“That’s the kind of area I like to get in and have strikes. All the goals that I have scored have been from that central area.”

Scottish international Maguire was brought to Hillsborough by former chief Dave Jones from Derby, but started just one Championship game last season.

Since returning from a loan spell at Coventry City, though, Maguire has been a regular under Gray, netting five goals in eight from midfield to help the Owls build a 10-game unbeaten run which has seen them pull six points clear of the bottom three.

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Sheffield Wednesday: Kirkland, Palmer, Llera, Onyewu, Mattock, Maguire, Lee, Semedo, Maghoma, Afobe (Jermaine Johnson 70), Nuhiu (Lavery 63). Unused substitutes: McCabe, Corry, Martinez, McPhail.

Barnsley: Steele, Ramage, Kennedy, Cranie, Proschwitz, O’Grady (Dawson 34), Hunt (Cywka 77), Frimpong, Jennings (O’Brien 72), Mellis, Shea. Unused substitutes: Lawrence, M’voto, Turner, McCourt.

Referee: A Marriner (West Midlands).