by Mark Denham & Steve Garland
Snapshot
Cardiff City fell to a 1-0 defeat at Hillsborough to deny them a point and a place in the play-offs, as other results did not going the Bluebirds way.
Jermaine Johnson ended Cardiff's season with 20 minutes to go, blasting a volley into the back of the net to give Wednesday the win. This coupled with victories for Preston and Burnley pushed Cardiff out of the play-offs on goals scored.
In truth Cardiff's performance did not merit anything more than a defeat, looking nervy from the kick off and failing to create many clear-cut chances.
The first half was very evenly matched between the sides with Sheffield Wednesday looking the more likely to take the lead, Marcus Tudgay and Jermaine Johnson both missing good chances to score.
But Cardiff almost went into the break with a fortuitous lead as Roger Johnson hit the bar with a looping header deep in to injury time. It rebounded to Darren Purse but he could only hit the Wednesday defence that had scrambled to the goal line.
At that point Cardiff had the point they needed to get into the play-offs even though both Preston and Burnley were winning.
And Cardiff returned from the break brightly and put some good early pressure on Wednesday to get a goal to try and ease the nerves. But the ball just did not fall for them though as both Bothroyd and Chopra saw chances go begging.
Marcus Tudgay wasted a glorious headed chance to put Wednesday in the lead with 20 minutes to go but it was not long until they had another chance to score. This time Jermaine Johnson made sure of the goal with a volley from the edge of the area that almost ripped the net.
Cardiff just needed an equaliser and pushed four up front to try and get it in the closing stages but it did not come. Roger Johnson came closest almost catching Lee Grant off his line but to Cardiff's anguish, the ball went over the bar as City's season ended in the most disappointing of fashions.
Team News:
Darren Purse replaces Gabor Gyepes in defence and Joe Ledley misses out through injury. Ross McCormack starts on the bench with Michael Chopra preferred to partner Jay Bothroyd up front.
Teams:
Sheffield Wednesday: Grant, Spurr, Hinds, Tudgay, McAllister, Jeffers, Potter, Wood, O'Connor, Buxton, Johnson. Subs: O'Donnell, Beevers, Simek, Boden, Modest.
Cardiff City: Heaton, McNaughton, Rae, Purse, Whittingham, Bothroyd, McPhail, R.Johnson, Chopra, Kennedy, Burke. Subs: E.Johnson, Owusu-Abeyie, Comminges, Scimeca, McCormack.
Chronological Report:
City kicked off in their all yellow kits from left to right. It was the home side who had the first sniff of goal when Jermaine Johnson got inside behind Kevin McNaughton before being unable to find a finish. Indecision in the City defence moments later nearly freed Marcus Tudgay before Peter Whittingham's last ditch challenge relieved the danger.
Following another good opportunity for Tudgay, City took the game to Wednesday a little more with Chopra coming inches from getting on the end of a good Whittingham cross. Chris Burke and Whittingham looked more threatening in attacking positions as after a shaky start, the Bluebirds began to settle in to the game.
Jay Bothroyd was seeing a lot of the ball in the first twenty minutes, winning headers well to free Whittingham and Burke. Chopra twice had half chances to score though couldn't quite take advantage. The game started to change from an end to end encounter in to a fiercely contested midfield battle.
Marcus Tudgay looked the most threatening for the Owls and should have put the ball in the back of the City net with a free header. The Sheffield Wednesday player of the season was unable to take advantage however, and more importantly, the referee's assistant raised a very late flag to indicate the striker was offside.
Wednesday began penetrating the heart of the City defence more often and Francis Jeffers was unfortunate not to take advantage of a Tom Heaton fumble. Tudgay had another one on one encounter with Heaton moments later though the 'keeper did well to force a corner. Cardiff looked nervous in this vital encounter but still looked the sharper of the two sides in the final third.
City thought they had been awarded a penalty in the thirty-fifth minute when Burke appeared to have been brought down inside the area. The decision would have been somewhat controversial had it been given - Kevin McNaughton's back-pass to Heaton in goal was picked up by the Bluebirds 'keeper but adjudged to have been done so legally.
City claimed for another penalty five minutes later. With the Bluebirds beginning to dominate the game by penetrating both flanks and racking up the corner count, Bothroyd found himself with the ball at his feet inside the area before his legs seemed to be taken away from him. The Referee was on the spot and thought otherwise, though signs were encouraging at Hillsborough for the Bluebirds as we approached half time.
With the very last action of the half the Bluebirds should have taken the lead. Roger Johnson hit the post with a placed header from Whittingham's corner before Darren Purse bursting through in the rebound blasted his shot over with the aid of a last ditch deflection.
Half Time: Sheffield Wednesday 0-0 Cardiff City
With news of Burnley and Preston both leading at half time, Cardiff City knew they had to hold on to the scoreline at Hillsborough or better it. With nerves jangled, City did superbly well in denying Tudgay in front of goal with the first attack of the second half, Rae and Purse putting their bodies on the line. Miguel Comminges meanwhile came on to replace Mark Kennedy on fifty-five minutes for City whilst Luke Boden replaced Francis Jeffers.
City were pressing more in the second half and winning the majority of midfield battles early on. Gavin Rae was having a particularly strong performance in the Cardiff engine room as the Bluebirds piled pressure towards Lee Grant's goal.
Sheffield Wednesday, buoyed by a close to full Hillsborough crowd began threatening more in attack following the hour mark. Tudgay again came close with a static header whilst Johnson was denied at the last by a McNaughton tackle. Chopra was replaced by Bluebirds top scorer Ross McCormack on 66 minutes.
Following some slack defending by McNaughton on the Wednesday left, Tudgay out jumped Comminges before directing one of many headers he had in the game wide of Heaton's far post. Tudgay was getting plenty of opportunities; City's defending needed to be better.
The breakthrough came on 70 minutes when, after some more torrid Bluebirds defending, Jermaine Johnson struck a sweet shot from outside of the area past the helpless Heaton. City's promotion hopes were fading quickly with Wednesday getting more and more of the game.
GOAL: SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 1-0 Cardiff City (Johnson, 70).
Quincy Owusu-Abeyie replaced Chris Burke for the last fifteen minutes as Dave Jones looked for some inspiration from the on-loan midfielder. Peter Whittingham moved out to the right touchline with Quincy occupying the left.
News filtered through with ten minutes remaining that both Burnley and Preston were winning their respective games - that meant that with Wednesday still leading, City would finish 7th and outside the play-off positions. Cardiff just couldn't get a hold of the game as Wednesday looked to see out the points.
Roger Johnson had a superb opportunity with two minutes remaining as Lee Grant charged off his line. The advancing defender couldn't control his effort though as it flew harmlessly over the crossbar. The referee's assistant indicated there would be five minutes of additional time as Stephen McPhail came close with a twenty-five yard effort from outside the area.
City threw everything forward but it was all in vain. Preston and Burnley had won and the Bluebirds could not find an equaliser. They ended the campaign in 7th place and will not feature in this year's play-offs.
Full Time: Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 Cardiff City
