NO blue-and-white scarves, no full chippies or bars, no match traffic, no vibe, no soul.

Strictly speaking, there were a few token scarves in the Sheffield Wednesday sections of an eerily deserted Hillsborough in their midweek game against Middlesbrough. But only ‘Black and Gold ‘Til Its Sold’ ones in defiance at reviled owner Dejphon Chansiri.

Boycott had been the operative word in this part of Yorkshire in the first half of the week - and it had nothing to do with the 85th birthday of the county’s finest opening batsman on Monday.

After protests in cup games against Leeds United and Grimsby Town, this was the biggie in a league fixture. And it delivered for the organisers from Sheffield Wednesday Supporters Trust.

Empty seats in the stands as Sheffield Wednesday fans boycott the game during the Sky Bet Championship match at Hillsborough Stadium, Sheffield. Picture: Danny Lawson/PA Wire.

placeholder image — Empty seats in the stands as Sheffield Wednesday fans boycott the game during the Sky Bet Championship match at Hillsborough Stadium, Sheffield. Picture: Danny Lawson/PA Wire.

The home attendance was pretty minuscule as swathes of sickened Wednesdayites decided enough was enough and voted with their feet.

An autumn protest at the Chansiri regime in this same fixture two years ago saw tennis balls thrown onto the pitch from home fans. This was a whole new ball game.

Plenty of red in the sold out 3,699 Middlesbrough contingent in the Leppings Lane Stand and metaphorical red cards aplenty displayed for Chansiri in the three other stands, judging by the severely impacted numbers.

The defiant message reverberated inside and out. Dejphon! Time Is Up! Sell The Club! Will There Be A Wednesday Left For Future Generations? It’s Up To You! Were among striking anti-Chansiri banners prominent on the back of the Kop ahead of the game.

Anti Dejphon Chansiri banners outside the kop at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough home.

As for the game. Well, irony of ironies, it produced Wednesday’s best home performance of the season albeit with a familiar script. A defeat.

The law of the ex saw ex-Boro goalkeeper Joe Lumley, on debut after signing on an emergency loan, have a stormer against his old side as if often the way. He was beaten by Morgan Whittaker’s early strike, but was wonderfully defiant after.

Boro won, but the triumph was hollow and they hung on at times at a venue where they have had their vicissitudes over the years. Think relegation here from the big time in 1989 and 1993 and a League Cup final replay loss.

A minute's applause to celebrate the life of former Owls chairman Milan Mandaric following his recent passing was held ahead of kick-off, a reminder of some steadier times at S6.

On the pitch, it looks like being a case of plus ca change when Whittaker continued his mini-renaissance with his second goal in successive games.

Boro’s inability to put the game to bed by half-time at least kept Wednesday enthused.

Whittaker’s strike was a sweet one. The move which led to it started out with a raking crossfield pass from Alan Browne.

Matt Targett slotted in Delano Burgzorg down the line and his low centre was dispatched clinically by the former Plymouth Argyle winger, now back in Boro fans’ good books, seemingly.

You feared for Wednesday, but a combination of wasteful finishing, a couple of key saves towards the end of the half from Lumley, on debut, and a poor call from referee Thomas Kirk ensured they still had some hope ahead of the redemption.

Some elements of first-half sloppiness, especially either side of the half-hour mark from the visitors also suggested this would also be nothing like Coventry City’s recent statement at Hillsborough either.

Wednesday, entitled to be encouraged by Boro’s failure to grab a second, grew into the game as the half wore on, with their best moment seeing Svante Ingelsson scruffy close-range effort held by Sol Brynn.

The voices in the first half were almost exclusively from the Steel River as opposed to the Steel City, but they didn’t herald a second goal.

Conway fired a chance wide after good work from Burgzorg, lively once again and the Scottish international headed another presentable opportunity over at the far post.

In between, Boro should have had a spot-kick when Lumley raced out and caught Conway just inside the box and not the box but Kirk was unmoved.

Lumley, who had his travails on Teesside, then showed his good side to thwart Conway legally before beating away Burgzorg’s stinging drive ahead of the break.

On the restart, Wednesday went close to a leveller with Brynn adjusting well to keep out Dominic Iorfa’s deflected header as the hosts served a further reminder to Boro that the game was far from done.

Brynn was then called upon to make an even bigger save, showing great reactions to turn away Inglesson’s drive. A chant of ‘Come on Wednesday’ came from the sparsely populated Kop as the Boro hordes got edgy, reinforced when Ugbo headed just wide from Harry Amass’s centre.

Boro, after a slow opening, soon tested Lumley, who kept out Whittaker’s angled drive and he then turned away Conway’s powerful effort as the second goal stubbornly wouldn't arrive.

Lumley’s night then reached new heights with a terrific reaction save to thwart Browne.

At the other end, Boro still had hairy moments. Supporter tetchiness came from the away section as opposed to the home one.

Lumley denied Sene at the death. Funny old night.

Sheffield Wednesday: Lumley; Palmer (McNeil 92), Iorfa, M Lowe; Fusire (Otebayo 80), Valery, Bannan, Ingelsson (Cadamarteri 70), Amass; J Lowe, Ugbo. Substitutes unused: Stretch, Johnson, McGhee, Emery, Fernandes, Thornton.

Middlesbrough: Brynn; Brittain, Jones, Fry, Targett; Browne, Hackney (Sene 84); Whittaker (Ayling 84), Strelec (Nypan 56), Burgzorg; Conway (Morris 74). Substitutes unused: Bangura, Hansen, McGree, McLaughlin, Silvera.

Referee: T Kirk (Manchester)