I probably wouldn’t have bothered going to Sheff Wed, but I was keen to pick up the two priority points needed to move me to a higher band before the tickets for Oxford away went on sale. That said, it’s a simple enough drive and motivation is always easier when we are regularly winning games.
Sadly, Coventry had picked up six points in the days since we last played and they had replaced us at the top of the table. A win in this game would consolidate our top two position though and create a four-point gap to third placed Millwall.
The Boro end had sold out, albeit with plenty of upper tier seats with obscured views left unsold. I’d have released them for reduced prices as it would have enabled more Boro fans to see the game and perhaps allowed some of those priced out to attend.
There were lots of empty seats in the other three stands as well as the Wednesday fans were boycotting the game in protest at their owner. The official attendance was just over seven thousand, with the Boro making up more than half of that total. I doubted that there were three thousand Wednesday fans in the ground, I’d have thought about half of that, but fair play to the fans that stayed away, hopefully their stance will help things to change.
The Boro were unchanged and went a goal up in the opening minutes. We should have had a pen when Joe Lumley wiped out Tommy Conway, but somehow the ref didn’t see it. Ex-Boro keeper Lumley went on to perform as well as I’ve ever seen him do, but we had enough quality to control the game and eventually pick up the points.
As I walked back to the car I chatted to a Wednesday fan. He was resigned to relegation but didn’t care. He was speculating that a pending tax bill might put them into administration and force the change of ownership that the fans wanted. It’s an extreme solution but I hope it works out for them one way or another.
Trail of the Lion King 