Oli McBurnie struck in injury-time to dramatically send Hull City into the Premier League as they beat Middlesbrough 1-0 at Wembley.
After a tense Championship play-off final, McBurnie capitalised on poor goalkeeping from Sol Brynn to score a 95th-minute winner.
It means the Tigers go back to the top flight for the first time in nine years, and in doing so they have also become the first team who finished sixth to win the play-offs since 2010.
Last season they only stayed up on goal difference. This time they have been promoted.
For Boro, after all the emotion and fallout of the ‘Spygate’ saga that saw them reinstated to the play-offs just a few days ago, it will be back to the Championship next season.
Spygate saga overshadows pre-match build-up
It was a play-off final build-up like no other, completely dominated by the ‘Spygate’ saga.
Middlesbrough didn’t even know for certain that they would be playing until less than 72 hours before kick-off – Southampton were expelled on Tuesday night, before having their appeal dismissed late on Wednesday night.
Despite all that, and their defeat on the pitch in the semi-finals, Boro arrived in full force, a defiant sea of red filling one half of the Wembley bowl opposite the glow of amber emanating from the other side.
McBurnie strikes late to settle tie
It was a typically tense first half of a play-off final, with no side really going close until the stroke of half-time, when McBurnie latched onto a Ryan Giles cross but headed against the bar.
And that would be the last real chance until late in the day.
It felt like the game was meandering toward extra-time until substitute Yu Hirakawa’s cross into the box was only pushed by Boro goalkeeper Brynn as far as McBurnie, who calmly finished, before going wild in front of the Boro support.
Hull, who have had to deal with a transfer embargo and were outside of the play-offs heading into the final day of the regular campaign, will play in the Premier League next season.
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