Middlesbrough 2-0 Sheffield Wednesday: Boro keep play-off hopes alive

Middlesbrough kept alive their hopes of a play-off place with a dominant display against lowly Sheffield Wednesday.

Sam Greenwood missed a penalty but it made no difference, and with Norwich losing in the early kick-off, the three points kept Michael Carrick’s side in sight of the top six after a six-match unbeaten run.

Wednesday’s recent good run under manager Danny Rohl has evaporated as defeat meant they have now picked up just one point from their past four games.

Wednesday had shown signs of a revival under Rohl since he replaced Xisco Munoz in October, with four straight wins giving them a fighting chance of staying up. But they faded badly after a decent start at the Riverside Stadium as they sought to build on the home draw with Swansea on Friday.

Marvin Johnson shot narrowly wide and Anthony Musaba was inches away from a cross as Wednesday started well enough, but once Boro got into their stride the game was only heading one way.

Isaiah Jones blazed a decent chance over the bar, but before half-time Greenwood’s corner was headed by Emmanuel Latte Lath and deflected in off Ihiekwe to put Boro ahead.

Ihiekwe denied Dan Barlaser a second in added time, but the second half was little short of a Boro onslaught.

Keeper James Beadle thrust out a leg to deny Latte Lath and from the resulting corner Wednesday survived a loud penalty appeal when Lewis O’Brien appeared to be fouled as he shaped to shoot.

IJones’ shot then hit the hand of Johnson as the officials again failed to spot anything amiss, but Latte Lath and Greenwood both went close before Boro made sure of the points in the 74th minute.

Luke Ayling fed Jones and when he drove the ball into the box it looped off Barry Bannan to wrongfoot Beadle and drop into the net.

Wednesday forced a first save from Boro keeper Seny Dieng in the 76th minute, a fine stop from Ike Ugbo, and Boro missed the chance to make the scoreline more emphatic when Bannan was adjudged to have handled and Greenwood fired his spot-kick against the post.