Owls are still on a six pack
GARRY MONK refused to give up on the top six, while looking at the bigger picture of a rebuilding job at Hillsborough.
The Owls remain midtable after the 1-1 draw with struggling Barnsley at Oakwell, with a point doing little for either side.
Josh Windass put Wednesday ahead on his debut following his loan move from Wigan, only for the Reds to hit back with Cauley Woodrow taking advantage of a gaffe by keeper Cameron Dawson.
Wednesday’s last four fixtures have brought two defeats and two draws and, while a play-off push is fading, Monk reiterated the long-term job that is needed at Hillsborough.
The Sheffield Wednesday boss said: “I’ve said it all along, this is a big job. There are a lot of thing that need to be corrected and moved forward.
“I get the frustration, I understand it. Everyone is frustrated, the players are frustrated.
“I also understand we live in a world where everything has to be now and instant.
“We are not going to give up, we are going to stick together. You’ve seen the league, week in week out, there is no-one running away with anything.
“Every team is going through those inconsistencies, we’ve got to make sure we have no regrets at the end and we have given our all.”
His opposite number, Gerhard Struber, cut a frustrated figure, feeling his side should have claimed all three points, with the Tykes holding on to their Championship status by their fingertips.
He said: “The atmosphere was amazing, the mood was top and I think the engagement from my team and the energy from my team was very good.
“We created a high-intensity game in the second half. Every player gave everything they can in this game.
“This was our aim. We will show the Barnsley fans a good game and performance and good work and I am happy, but in our situation one point is not enough.”
Barnsley have defensive frailties, but there was an element of fortune to Wednesday’s goal.
Luke Thomas slid in
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BARNSLEY only for Mads Andersen’s clearance to hit the midfielder and go through to Windass, who fired home a low, hard shot.
Barnsley levelled eight minutes later with a farcical goal, when Dawson came out but rather than clear the ball passed it to Woodrow, who slotted home from 30 yards for his 11th in the league this season.
Barnsley came close to going ahead when Jacob Brown charged through a couple of challenges and unleashed a fierce shot which Dawson cleared with his feet.
Moments later, Connor Wickham forged down the right, evading a flimsy Barnsley defence, but his low centre was cleared.
Fernando Forestieri came into it more in the second half after an anonymous first 45 minutes, and sent in a beautiful cross to Da Cruz, who could only tamely hit wide.
SHEFF WED