TECHNOLOGY IS MUST FOR GRAY
THIS time the gods were smiling on Sheffield Wednesday but boss Stuart Gray refused to change his tune, repeating his plea for goalline technology in the Championship.
Jacob Butterfield’s stinging effort struck both posts of the Wednesday goal but referee Andy D’Urso waved play on, less than a week after Gray claimed Atdhe Nuhiu was denied in similar circumstances in the FA Cup against Charlton.
Surviving that early scare, Wednesday pinched the points when Dean Whitehead handled in the box three minutes from time and Nuhiu struck the winner from the spot.
“It seems like Groundhog Day because I was being asked this (on Monday),” said Gray.
“It just shows that you can put everything to bed if everybody’s got goalline technology.
“Looking at their reaction I thought it must be close, their dug out were up and they thought it was in.
“My initial reaction was to look at the linesman, he’s had enough time to get a good view because it’s hit one post then it’s hit another post – and it’s crazy that I’m sat here talking about it again.
“Maybe that was the little bit of luck that we deserved and it evens itself out because we didn’t get that luck on Monday night.
“We deserved it. The disappointing thing was the first half, there was no intensity.
“But if you had said to me play ugly and win 1-0 I’d have snapped your hand off.”
Middlesbrough came into this game having failed to score in over ten hours of football.
They did look to have finally got on the scoresheet in the 12th minute when Butterfield hit a long range effort which struck both posts before being picked up by goalkeeper Chris Kirkland – but the officials ruled it hadn’t crossed the line.
Neither side really managed to get a noteworthy foothold on the game, but Wednesday nearly took the lead through Leon Best who stabbed wide after good work down the right from Chris Maguire.
It was the home side who continued to carve out the chances, Maguire firing over from a tight angle before an effort just got away from Best and was cleared by Tomas Mejias in the Middlesbrough goal.
Sheffield Wednesday ended the first half on the front foot and that was exactly how they started the second and came close with a Maguire free-kick that just sailed over the bar.
The home side continued to press and this time it was Sam Hutchinson who came close with a long-range effort but debutant Mejias tipped the effort over.
Despite all the pressure Middlesbrough did manage to break free of Wednesday’s high line, but Danny Graham couldn’t capitalise hitting his one-on-one effort hitting it straight at Kirkland.
With just four minutes to go Hutchinson whipped a ball into the box which Best stabbed goal wards only for his effort to hit Whithead’s arm on the line.
The referee pointed to the spot before giving Whitehead his marching orders. Nuhiu stepped up and kept his cool and ensured Wednesday made it four wins out of six for the Owls.
Nihiu wept after scoring and showed a message on his undershirt saying “You will always be in my heart XH Nuhiu”.
Boro boss Aitor Karanka said:“I couldn’t really see the ball (on the line) from where I was. But we lost the game because we didn’t play well. We had four or five chances to score and if we had scored one I think we would have won the game.
“We’re not scoring goals and it’s a big concern.We were scoring freely one month ago with the same players.”