Hillsborough, home of Sheffield Wednesday… But you already knew that! They are based in South Yorkshire and play their trade in League One. Nicknamed the “Owls” after their move to Owlerton, Sheffield.
For the third time this calendar year and fourth time in total, I am back at Hillsborough once again to see Wednesday face Oxford United. So far at Hillsborough I have seen a Steel City Derby, a Rotherham derby and Mansfield Town there but today is a very special occasion!
Wisewood Juniors Football club, the club I have had an association with since 2018 when I got my first coaching badge are special guests here today along with my U16 girls team! Roll on half time! I hope the Merry Miller and Ben can forgive me…
Thanks to the lovely weather, no game for us this morning so it’s a rare lie in for me on this Saturday! It’s now 1pm and I am out the door and en route to the University of Sheffield tram stop for Hillsborough. Here it is and off we go!
Here we at the Rawson Spring in Hillsborough and it is a busy one but for now we wait for the rest of the team. It’s 2:30pm and everyone is here with their ticket, it’s off we go to the ground!
2:45pm and here we are! £20 for this League One tie! Bad… Into the bottom corner of the South Stand right next to the kop alongside a few other Wisewood teams and club chairman Nik. Out come the teams and on comes Hi Ho Silver Lining, Chairman Nik take it away!
Kick Off! 2 minutes in and Oxford play the ball over the top and Marcus Browne will get onto it and get into the box on the right, he beats his man… And he slips… Cameron Dawson claims the ball and Wednesday are safe from danger for now.
17 minutes now and Oxford hit it long, it’s controlled and played to Cameron Brannagan running into the box and he shoots… Saved by Cameron Dawson.
This game is boring… Like really boring… The atmosphere is dying and the quality on the pitch has been non existent… Without Barry Bannan, Wednesday look pretty poor just like they did in the FA Cup not so long ago…
31 minutes on the clock and Wednesday break forward down the left with Marvin Johnson, he gets into the box on the left and he goes for goal… Just wide! Better from Wednesday.
2 minutes later and Wednesday play forward down the right, it’s played across the middle low, it’s dummied… And dummied again and here comes the shot… Saved! Oxford clear.
38th minute and Wednesday come forward, a good turn by Lee Gregory and he plays it across looking for Callum Paterson… Blocked but it falls for Josh WINDASS… It’s wide! Best chance of the game so far! The game goes on but my word this has been dross to say the least… 0-0 at half time…
Now for the Wisewood main event! PITCH SIDE! For the first time EVER I am pitchside thanks to chairman Nik! A quick step onto the pitch, you don’t get to do that every day! Where very few have stood! Now for the walk around the pitch, here is a mini montage below:
Second half… Boring… Boring… Boring… 66th minute and Oxford play down the right hand side, it’s played in low… Wednesday get there but it comes to Lewis Bate just outside the box to the right and he cuts inside onto his left and goes for the curler… Wide!
71st minute and Wednesday break down the left, it’s an early cross and here’s Michael Smith with the diving header… OH! He just missed it… He just couldn’t quite get there and it goes out for an Oxford throw in.
76th minute and Oxford play down the right, it’s played in, Wednesday get there but it comes to Yanic Wildschut who controls and shoots… Dawson parries it but only to Matt Taylor who gets his shot AWAY… It’s off the line and it’s James Henry… OH HE’S MISSED… How did he miss…? I’m looking around at my girls and we are all thinking the same! They certainly would have scored there and I’d have been angry as their coach if they hadn’t! What a chance! What a MISS!
1 minute later and here come Wednesday, it’s played forward and it’s Paterson who finds himself through in the box… Brilliant save by Simon Eastwood! Wednesday get it back on the left, and they win a corner, in it comes… The header… Over!
89th minute and Wednesday come forward down the left, it’s crossed in towards Michael Smith… Wide! Just a bit too much on that.
6 minutes of added time here… I don’t know where they have come from but on we go. About 90+5 minutes by my calculations and Oxford have a throw in on the left, it’s played in to the box towards Gatlin O’Donkor who controls… He was held back there! The Referee… Has pointed to the spot! Oh my word! Right at the death! The Wednesday fans are piling out a lot more now… It’s a certain penalty in my books! You can’t hold a player like that and I hope my girls are taking note!
Josh Murphy steps up for Oxford… SAVED BY CAMERON DAWSON!! Wednesday clear and break, they have it on the right wing… Surely not… They have a corner, it’s played in… The header… Over! That’s it! Another 0-0…
0-0 record: 14/499…
FT: Sheffield Wednesday 0-0 Oxford United
Ratings
- Atmosphere: 3/10 – Woeful… A terrible shame as my first 2 visits for 10/10 as it was that good! The game certainly didn’t help but it was very underwhelming today…
- The Ground: 7/10 – As you were.
- Expense: 9/10 – £20 was it worth it? Going on the pitch certainly was but the game was dire…
- Overall Experience: 9/10 – Massive thank you to Nik for sorting today! A great time with Wisewood today but that game was one of the worst I’ve ever seen sadly…
28/40
To see my previous visits click here