Heartbreak for Barnsley as final kick of the game consigns them to another season in League One.
The Reds conceded in added time of extra time denying the unique scenario of all three play-off finals going to penalties – it is the fourth time Barnsley have lost to the Owls in injury time in the last 20 years.
Josh Windass scored the all important promotion clinching goal after 120+3minutes, his third goal against the Reds for the Owls.
Barnsley played over 70 minutes with ten men following a 49th minute red card for Adam Phillips – the 12th red card in this fixture since the turn of the century – eight of which have come for Barnsley.
It is however the first sending off in 10 meetings since another Adam, Hammill, was dismissed at Hillsborough in December 2016.
It is the first red card in a League One play-off final since Sheffield Wednesday were last involved in this fixture back in 2005 when Hartlepool’s Chris Westwood was dismissed.
The Owls also scored in the final minute of extra time – defeating Hartlepool 4-2 – also the last time it occurred before this weekend’s showpiece.
Barnsley now have a negative history in the play-offs having failed to win promotion from three of the five times they have competed (2000, 2021 and 2023) with this their first final defeat since the last club match at the old Wembley in 2000 v Ipswich.
This was their third League One play-off campaign and the first one they have not gone on to win promotion from.
Indeed Barnsley have now won only one of their last five play-off matches (D2 L2) between 2021 and 2023 – the second leg victory over Bolton.
Prior to this they were unbeaten in five play-off matches (W4 D1) between 2006 and 2016.
They have only scored three goals in their last five play-off games – 2 v Bolton and 1 v Swansea, they had netted 14 in the previous five – 3 v Huddersfield, 2 v Swansea, 6 v Walsall and 3 v Millwall.
This was the first time Barnsley have failed to score in a play-off final – netting 2 v Ipswich, 2 v Swansea and 3 v Millwall.
Two of their three play-off finals have gone to extra time.
There were 72,492 in attendance, the biggest crowd for a Barnsley match since the FA Cup Semi-Final against Cardiff in April 2008 (82,752) - another game the Reds lost 1-0.
This is the second time in the last three seasons that’s all the top three teams in League One after 46 games have been promoted.
Barnsley failed to come back and win a league game when conceding the first goal in 2022-2023 with this the 13th defeat from 15 matches in which they conceded first.
Josh Benson was subbed on after 72minutes and then subbed off after 89, the first Barnsley substitute to be substituted since… Benson himself was subbed on after 60minutes and subbed off after 77 at Peterborough in December.
Barnsley Team:
1. Harry Isted
12. Bobby Thomas
6. Mads Andersen (c)
5. Liam Kitching
2. Jordan Williams
30. Adam Phillips
48. Luca Connell
8. Herbie Kane
7. Nicky Cadden
31. Slobodan Tedic
44. Devante Cole
Substitutes:
9. James Norwood (for Tedic 45)
10. Josh Benson (for Kane 72)
16. Luke Thomas (for Cole 72)
3. Jon Russell (for Benson 90+1)
47. Max Watters (for Cadden 105)
Unused Substitutes:
24. Robbie Cundy, 40. Brad Collins
Sheffield Wednesday Team:
25. Cameron Dawson
6. Dominic Iorfa
20. Michael Ihiekwe
33. Reece James
13. Callum Paterson
2. Liam Palmer
10. Barry Bannan (c)
18. Marvin Johnson
11. Josh Windass
24. Michael Smith
9. Lee Gregory
Substitutions:
4. Will Vaulks (for Paterson 79)
32. Jack Hunt (for James 103)
17. Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (for Bannan 116)
Unused Substitutes:
3. Jaden Brown, 8. Dennis Adeniran, 31. David Stockdale, 44. Aden Flint
Match Reports: