Sheffield Wednesday 1-2 Middlesbrough: Boro grab late winner
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Sheffield Wednesday finished the season with six more points than their final opponents, Middlesbrough
Sheffield United fan Neil Warnock celebrated his Middlesbrough side retaining their Championship status with victory at Sheffield Wednesday, thanks to a late winner from Britt Assombalonga.
Depending on the outcome of Wigan's appeal against a 12-point deduction for going into administration, Warnock's Boro needed only a point to be completely sure of survival.
They were already spared the drop by defeats for Charlton, Huddersfield and Birmingham, but more than kept their side of the bargain thanks to Assombalonga's shot which Joe Wildsmith could not hold.
That lifted Boro up to 17th in the table - just three points and one place behind their opponents.
Wednesday now also face an agonising wait for the verdict of a misconduct charge brought by the English Football League, which could result in a possible points deduction if the Owls are found guilty.
In a largely open but scrappy game, there were little signs of nerves when Paddy McNair rattled the post for Boro early on but Wednesday made the breakthrough when Jacob Murphy's curling shot deflected off a Boro player and looped in.
Boro responded soon after when Owls playmaker Barry Bannan set Ashley Fletcher away with a loose pass, and Marcus Tavernier cut back to the edge of the box for McNair to drill in an equaliser.
Murphy could have snatched the points and a second late on but screwed his edge of the box effort wide, but Assombalonga's late heroics after more good work from Fletcher swung the game the other way in stoppage time.
Warnock loving life on the road
It is merely a month since Boro ended Jonathan Woodgate's tenure and turned to veteran Warnock to steer them clear of danger.
While it has not been an unmitigated success, the 71-year-old has achieved the aim of keeping Boro in the second tier.
When the Teessiders have been good under Warnock, such as in wins at Stoke, Millwall, Reading and now at Hillsborough, there was defensive core to give confidence to their attack. Their away form has been excellent, those four wins from five on their travels contributing to the push.
Home form has been disappointing conversely, but with safety secured and the possibility of Warnock staying to work on the squad, there are enough signs they can build on the positive foundations in the performances of Fletcher, McNair and young players such as Djed Spence, Hayden Coulson and Tavernier.
Owls not out of the woods yet
Garry Monk's Wednesday have had the uncertainty of possible sanctions hanging over them since November 2019, when the EFL confirmed it was charging them with a breach of operational rules relating to "how and when" the £60m sale of their Hillsborough stadium to owner Dephon Chansiri was completed.
The EFL has reiterated that an independent disciplinary commission handles these cases once an initial charge is issued, and that the timing, which leaves Wednesday in limbo waiting to hear of the outcome, is decided by that panel and not by the league itself.
Points deductions, fines and loss of payments from the EFL are all options available should the decision go against them, and thus there is still uncertainty as to which league teams around the bottom three will be playing in.
Perhaps it is coincidence or distraction that Wednesday, who were sixth in mid-January and in the hunt for promotion, have won just four games in this calendar year.
Reaction
Middlesbrough boss Neil Warnock: "We are going to have a celebration. I am taking all the staff out for a drink.
"What a relief. It has been a hell of a job, as difficult as I have ever had.
"I am just delighted for the fans and everyone at home. There were a lot of doom-and-gloom merchants but they will all be happy tonight.
"The lads have done a fabulous job. Four wins on the trot away from home is fabulous, I don't think I have done that before in my career. I thought we deserved it."
Sheffield Wednesday boss Garry Monk: "I have a strong attitude towards adversity. Just because there is tough moments and negativity I am never going to shy away from it,
"I know I can turn it around. We are all hugely disappointed with the second half of the season results wise. I feel a bright future. I can see that road. The key is having a plan. I can see that road, even if it's foggy at the moment.
"As it stands, I am the manager of the football club, I have a contract and I want to be here. I want to connect something back with the fans that we have maybe lost and get a team they can be proud of."