Sheffield Wednesday 2 Middlesbrough 0

MIDDLESBROUGH made it easy for Sheffield Wednesday to stay in the Championship by ending the season in defeat at Hillsborough.

Former Hartlepool United striker Steven Howard, whose other three goals this season were in League One against Sheffield United, put the Owls on course for a successful survival bid in the ninth minute.

Howard brushed off the attention of Boro debutant Christian Burgess to bring down Miguel Llera's long ball forward and then powered a finish beyond Jason Steele.

Sheffield Wednesday, needing a win to secure Championship football on the final day, then bombarded the Middlesbrough box with a series of attacks and added a second just after half an hour.

The goal was credited to corner taker Lewis Buxton, although it still remains unclear whether his delivery did float straight in or whether it took a touch off a number of players in the six-yard box.

By half-time Tony Mowbray's team, who will be glad to see the back of this season after winning three from their last 21 games, had been unable to get hold of the ball.

Things did improve after the restart in terms of possession, with Mowbray also introducing young defender Ben Gibson and promising midfield duo Bryn Morris and Adam Reach.

But Sheffield Wednesday – lucky not to conceded a penalty when Rhys Williams went down in the box - held on to their advantage to win their relegation fight, while Boro end a depressing campaign wondering where it went wrong in 2013.

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY (4-4-2): Kirkland; Buxton, Gardner, Llera, Pugh; J Johnson (Lee 46), Olofinjana (Semedo 56), Prutton, Helan; Lita (Maguire 84), Howard. Subs (not used): Bywater (gk), R Johnson, Taylor, Madine. MIDDLESBROUGH (3-4-3): Steele; R Williams, Bikey, Burgess; Hoyte, Smallwood (Gibson 55), Leadbitter, Halliday (Halliday 67); McDonald, Main, Carayol (Reach 67). Subs: Leutwiler (gk), Ledesma, L Williams, Haroun.