Weekend in Words: nPower Championship Final Day

Weekend in Words: nPower Championship Final Day

For entertainment factor, the nPower Championship never fails to disappoint for the neutral. For the fans of those clubs facing possible relegation and promotion, apprehension, unease, and hysterical are words that would prove to be more accurate.

Before the start of today’s fixtures with two spots in the relegation zone yet to play for, up to seven different teams could have potentially filled those positions as they looked to do everything they possibly could to avoid the drop.

Wolves were the favorites for relegation amongst the majority of bookies, as it would have taken a miracle for them to claw their way out following their 2-1 defeat at home to Burnley last weekend. 

Ahead of their trip to Brighton on this final day of the Championship season, Dean Saunders’ side were three points off safety, but only a win and a heavy loss for Peterborough and Barnsley would have seen them clinch safety in their first season back in the second tier of English football.

This proved to be too difficult a task for the former Premier League side as a first-half brace from Kazenga LuaLua in a 2-0 defeat at the Amex Stadium in front of a 30,000 strong crowd, sealed their fate and condemned the Midlands side to two consecutive relegations. Next season will be the first time Wolves have seen third tier football since 1989.

It is not yet known whether manager Dean Saunders will be kept on as Wolves boss for next seasons campaign but today’s result was his tenth defeat in 20 games with five wins and five draws also on his record.

Elsewhere in the nPower Championship, 22^nd place Barnsley faced 18^th placed Huddersfield Town in a fixture that could have seen one of these two teams relegated if a draw was avoided.

Barnsley occupied the third and final relegation place on 54 points before this game, but a win would see them leapfrog numerous sides, if results went their way.  As for the Terriers, they were sitting in what most fans would consider the most comfortable position out of the other relegation candidates.

However, a loss at home to Mark Robins’ former side Barnsley and wins for Peterborough and Sheffield Wednesday would have sent them back down to League One, after only one season in the Championship.

Thankfully for Terriers fans this wasn’t the case as they came from behind on two occasions and managed to hold on for a solitary point with goals from Jermaine Beckford, and on-loan Norwich forward James Vaughan securing Championship safety. Chris O’Grady opened the scoring for the Tykes, and a 74^th minute goal from Jason Scotland put them back in front.

This point at the John Smith’s Stadium was also enough for the South Yorkshire side who can now celebrate survival for another season under the leadership of inexperienced David Flitcroft who lead the Tykes to 12 wins in 25, with a win percentage of 48% since taking over on December 29^th. Nothing short of miraculous.

Flitcroft opened his post-match interview with the BBC as ‘Mission Impossible completed’ and I’m sure the Barnsley fans would have to agree.

Peterborough were visitors to Selhurst Park where they met Crystal Palace, and a point would confirm Championship football for one more season, should Barnsley fail to win at Huddersfield.

They came up against a side who were sitting in fifth place on 69 points before this game. It would have taken wins for both Bolton and Nottingham Forest and a loss for Palace to see the Eagles fall out of the play-off places. Palace would have been unfortunate to say the least, but when you’re playing in arguably the most unpredictable league in the world, anything could happen.

Posh led this game on two separate occasions with goals from Lee Tomlin on the 29^th minute, before Glenn Murray equalized from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time, and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing who put Ian Holloway’s side behind once more on the 63^rd minute.

From here it was all down hill for Posh who conceded two goals in seven minutes, as veteran striker Kevin Phillips equalized once again for Palace, before Mile Jedinak’s header sealed the deal in the final minute of normal time, and broke Posh hearts.

The win for Palace confirmed their place in the play-offs as they finished the season in fifth place, the same position they were in before this weekends final fixtures.  

Another one of the potential relegation candidates were Sheffield Wednesday. They sat in 20^th place at 12:45 this afternoon, before their game with an out-of-form Middlesbrough side who occupied 12^th place on a solid 59 points but are without an away win this calendar year.

With a win needed to guarantee second tier football for the 2013/14 season, the Owls duly delivered with an impressive 2-0 win at Hillsborough. Two first-half goals from Steve Howard and Leroy Lita ensured safety on Wednesday’s first season back in the Championship since 2010.

The win for Dave Jones’s side meant that they finished the season in 18^th position, just four points above the drop zone and defeat for Tony Mowbray’s men means they conclude the season in 16^th, just one point above today’s opponents.

Owls boss claimed survival this year was a much bigger achievement than his sides promotion to the Championship last season.

Already-relegated Bristol City, faced ninth placed Charlton in this final day fixture at The Valley and they took one hell of a beating as they bowed out of the Championship with a 4-1 thumping away from home.

Two goals from Yann Kermorgant, and a goal each from Jonathan Obika and Johnnie Jackson completed the rout for Charlton who summed up City’s season in just one result – disappointing.

Bristol City have now gone from play-off finalists in 2008, to a League One side in 2013 and it’s a drop that recently appointed manager Sean O’Driscoll says the club need to reflect upon.

Millwall were the final club who were in the mix for potential relegation this afternoon, but narrowly avoided the drop, even with a 1-0 away defeat at Derby.

The Lions only needed one point to beat the drop but were unable to collect the point at Pride Park as Derby striker Connor Sammon scored his eight goal of the season for the rams.

This wasn’t enough for the Lions to be relegated however, after Peterborough’s loss away at Palace. This saw Millwall finish two points above the drop zone.

Millwall management partnership Kenny Jackett and Joe Gallen didn’t want to have to rely on other results from around the Championship due to the unpredictable nature of this league, but I can guarantee they won’t be complaining now it’s all over and they can breathe a sigh of relief.

Enough of relegation talk – at the other end of the nPower Championship, it was a nerve-wracking afternoon for both Hull and Watford as both sets of fans were keeping a close eye on each others results as they watched their own sides try and claim a position in next seasons Premier League season.

Hull faced league champions Cardiff City at the KC Stadium, whilst Watford were also at home to Brian McDermott’s Leeds United.

It started off well for Hull, when they heard of news down in North London, when Leeds took the lead with an opener for Dominic Poleon.

This was a sign of things to come though, as Hull fans joy was soon replaced with despair as news of an equalizer at Vicarage Road rang round the KC.

Things got worse however, when they went a goal behind thanks to a calm and collected finish from ex-Hull striker Fraizer Campbell who netted in the 49^th minute to put promotion in doubt for the Tigers, as it would mean Watford only needed a point to pip them to the second and final automatic place.

It may have gone all quiet in North London, but that certainly wasn’t the case on Humberside as a goal from Nick Proschwitz leveled the scoring on the 58^th minute, followed by a scrappy goal from defender Paul McShane, which sent the Hull fans into raptures 15 minutes into the second half.

As it stood, the Tigers would be going up to the Premier League and Watford would have to settle for third place and a spot in the play-off semi-finals.

The drama wasn’t over though. Cardiff were reduced to ten men when Andrew Taylor was given his marching orders after he was shown a second yellow card for a rash tackle.

Hull then had the chance to finally kill the game off in the final minutes from the penalty spot and David Meyler was bundled over in the box. Nick Proschwitz failed to put the Tiger further ahead with a save from David Marshall denying him his second of the game.

Within moments, the Bluebirds were up at the other end and had a penalty awarded to them after a handball in the area. Former Bristol City forward, Nicky Maynard coolly found the equalizing goal from the spot and put fear into the hearts of the on-looking Tigers fans.

This would mean that Watford just needed one more goal to overthrow Hull in second spot.

It just wasn’t to be for the Hornets, after Troy Deeney saw red and took an early bath after two bookable offences, and then a goalkeeping error from third-choice replacement Jack Bonham allowed Ross McCormack to snatch the three points in the final minutes at Vicarage Road with a lofted effort.

Watford will now face Leicester in the nPower Play-Off Semi-Final, while Leeds finish the season in 13^th spot.

With one play-off place left to play for, it was up to two games – Nottingham Forest were at home to Leicester while Bolton were at home to mid-table Blackpool.

Bolton started the day occupying sixth spot on 67 points, equal with Nottingham Forest with just three goals separating the two sides. Forest’s opponents Leicester were sitting in eighth, two points adrift of Bolton and Forest.

Shifting of positions was certainly on the cards, and that was what the fans got, as Bolton were held to a 2-2 draw at the Reebok and a win for Leicester at the City Ground meant that they had pipped their opponents to the post in the final dash for the play-off spot.

Bolton were two goals down to Blackpool following goals from Matt Phillips and Ludovic Sylvestre after 35 minutes, but the Trotters managed to get two late goals in first half stoppage time from Chris Eagles and Craig Davies sealed the point for Wanderers.

This just wasn’t enough though, with the Foxes 3-2 win at Forest.

Simon Cox opened the scoring for Forest in the third minute, but Leicester fought back and got the equalizer in the 24^th minute through a deflected shot from Matt James.

Midfielder Andy King then put the Foxes ahead just before half-time, but were pegged back with a header from Elliott Ward.

The winning goal came in stoppage time from Anthony Knockaert in a dramatic, up-and-down game in Nottingham, which booked Leicester’s spot in the Championship play-offers.

Other results in the Championship saw Birmingham and Blackburn share the points at St Andrews. Ravel Morrison 20-yard strike gave the Blues the lead before a second-half leveler from none other than goal-machine Jordan Rhodes, who netted his 29^th goal of the season.

Ipswich could have gone up to ninth spot with a win at Turf Moor in this mid-table clash. Nothing was to play for, so gave both bosses the chance to field youngsters and experiment with their sides. Town boss Mick McCarthy done just this, by handing debuts to left-back Tyrone Mings and 18-year-old striker Jack Marriott.

It was a drab match but Burnley took the three points with a 25-yard strike into the top corner on the hour, and striker Martin Paterson secured all three points late into the game with a header from close range.

Ipswich boss won’t be too disheartened about this result, as since his arrival, his side have picked up 53 points when his side sat bottom of the nPower Championship on just seven points in November.

Play-Off Semi Final Fixtures:

Watford vs. Leicester

Brighton vs. Crystal Palace

Quotes from BBC Sport