Barnsley 0-1 Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday made a triumphant return to the Championship as the EFL season was rounded off in the most enthralling fashion.
Despite being goalless for 122 minutes, the Owls' South Yorkshire derby clash with Barnsley will certainly live forever in the memory of everyone in attendance at Wembley.
The Tykes were reduced to 10 men when Adam Phillips was given his marching orders just moments into the second half. It will feel scant consolation but Michael Duff's side can hold their heads high after battling courageously for 75 minutes with a man down, and even creating some big chances in the process.
Barnsley somehow managed to repel wave after wave of Wednesday attacks throughout extra-time, but just as one of the great Wembley defensive displays was about to be crowned, Josh Windass found space in the box and headed home past Harry Isted with only four seconds left on the clock.
As the 50,000 Wednesday fans descended into delirium, a wave of crestfallen heartbreak swept around the Barnsley end as the absolute cruelest side of the game was laid bare.
A local rivalry in a play-off final was always going to be a special occasion and there was a cauldron of noise under the arch as the game kicked off.
Darren Moore's Owl's started on the front foot and went close twice in the opening 10 minutes.
First, captain Barry Bannan found the ball at his feet inside the box but his effort was headed away, before Dominic Iorfa's half volley was punched out by Isted.
In what quickly became a rather tetchy first half, Barnsley created a couple of half chances, with Phillips and Nicky Cadden shooting over.
One of the game's two defining moments arrived just four minutes after the break.
Phillips flew into a clumsy challenge on Lee Gregory, which saw the referee immediately pull out his red card.
A long VAR check subsequently took place, with Tim Robinson's decision to give the former Burnley man a straight red eventually ratified, which left the Barnsley dugout up in arms.
It was the second tight VAR call that had gone against the Tykes in a matter of minutes after they were controversially denied a spot kick following a collision between Gregory and Liam Kitching in the Wednesday box.
The sending off transformed the game as space opened up, with Wednesday looking to attack but Barnsley creating some vicious counter attacks.
Just 60 seconds after the sending off, Duff's men strode down the field and so nearly broke the deadlock.
Cadden fired an effort, which diverted off the head of Kitching and beat the outstretched arms of Cameron Dawson, only to crash against the crossbar.
Moments later Bannan then came close at the other end, curling an effort inches wide of the far post.
At half-time Duff had introduced striker James Norwood, and the 32-year-old proved to be a handful for the Wednesday defence all afternoon.
With 10 minutes left of normal time he beat his man on the right hand side and powered into the box but could only sting Dawson's palms with a fierce drive when squaring the ball to his fellow attackers was perhaps the better option.
The game rolled into extra time and Barnsley continued to bravely match their Yorkshire rivals as Isted tipped away Bannan's drive at full stretch and denied Michael Smith with a quite remarkable stop from point blank range.
Despite having to soak up so much pressure, Barnsley created one huge opportunity in extra-time and poor Luca Connell will likely never want to see a replay of it.
Kitching charged forward from the back with the ball at his feet, before spreading the play out wide to Luke Thomas who spotted Connell all on his own at the back post.
The former Celtic man had the goal gaping in front of him but misjudged his effort and the ball somehow skewed wide from six yards out.
The tension and adrenaline around the ground was reaching breaking point and the roof almost flew off when Wednesday thought they had nicked it deep into extra time.
Substitute Will Vaulks smashed home a sublime, rasping effort from outside the box, before cartwheeling over to the dugout where he was mobbed by players and staff.
For at least 20 seconds the Sheffield players and fans embraced one another, toasting what they thought was the match winner, before, in the far corner of the pitch the outstretched flag of the linesman came into view.
An offside had been spotted in the build up and the goal was suddenly ruled out.
Whilst still being 0-0, this game felt like it had everything. Surely there was nothing else the match could conjure up apart from penalties? Well, there was one more almighty twist yet to come!
As the match entered its 122nd minute, Gregory sent a final last ditch cross into the box. Windass found himself in space, leaping at the ball to score and form a moment that will be a cherished part of Wednesday's history forever.
The match was an adrenaline fuelled rollercoaster of the highest order, which perfectly encapsulated the immense highs and lows of the beautiful game.
Ecstasy for the Owls but numbing despair for Barnsley; Duff's post match quotes said it all, “It's the cruelest way I have ever been beaten and I've been beaten quite a lot in my career. It's a sickener, there have been tears in the dressing room just now and it's definitely going to hurt for a while. Football is an extraordinary sport, which can be so harsh sometimes, but we have to be so proud of how we battled today when faced with such adversity and accept that it just wasn't meant to be.”
Wednesday meanwhile will return to the second tier after a two year absence and an ecstatic Moore told reporters: “It's a delightful moment and everyone should share in it. We've been on a long journey and everyone has played their part. I'm delighted for everyone. Credit to the boys they went all the way to the end. It's the stuff dreams are made of.”
