Good evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for tonight's Championship playoff semi-final second leg as Brighton & Hove Albion welcome Sheffield Wednesday to the Amex Stadium. It is very much advantage Wednesday heading into this clash following their 2-0 win in the first leg, but Brighton have already shocked a number of people this season and will be looking to do so again by launching a comeback today. Before all that, though, let's have a look at the team news...

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY STARTING XI: Westwood; Hunt, Lees, Loovens, Pudil; Wallace, Lee, Lopez, Bannan; Forestieri, Hooper

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY SUBS: Wildsmith, Hutchinson, Matias, Nuhiu, Helan, Joao, Sasso

BRIGHTON STARTING XI: Stockdale; Bruno, Greer, Dunk, Bong; Knockaert, Sidwell, Kayal, Skalak; Baldock, Wilson

BRIGHTON SUBS: Maenpaa, Calderon, Crofts, Rosenior, Towell, Murphy, LuaLua

What can we make of those two teams, then? Well, Brighton have been forced into a couple of changes following their wretched luck of losing four players to injury in the first leg, but the fallout from that has not been as bad as first feared. Sidwell and Knockaert both picked up injuries on Friday but have recovered in time to start this evening's match, so Hughton is able to name largely the same team that he did in the first leg.

The two players who do miss out after injuries in the first leg are Godson and Hemed, however, with the latter being replaced up front by Wilson. The absence of those two is certainly a blow for the Seagulls, but it could have been a lot worse for Hughton tonight. Injuries have not been kind to him recently, though, and even with Knockaert and Sidwell recovering, Brighton are missing a whole host of first-team players for this match.

One of those is Dale Stephens, who continues his suspension following his contentious red card against Middlesbrough in the final game of the regular season. It is an unchanged midfield from the first leg, though, with Kayal joining Sidwell in the middle of the park and Knockaert and Skalak providing the width. Further forward Baldock will play alongside Wilson in what is expected to be a 4-4-2 formation from the hosts.

In defence, Dunk is the man to replace the injured Goldson, coming in at the heart of the backline alongside Greer. Bong continues on the left and Bruno is once again named at right-back for the Seagulls, while Stockdale tends the goal. It is a defence that has been pretty stingy this season, but the main focus for Brighton tonight has to be at the other end of the field with a deficit to make up.

For Wednesday, on the other hand, a clean sheet or even one goal conceded would be enough for them to progress to the playoff final, so their defence has a very important role to play tonight. They haven't been the best at the back this season, certainly in comparison to the rest of the top six, but they did keep a clean sheet in that first leg and Carlos Carvahal has opted for the same back five again tonight.

Indeed, it is an entirely unchanged side from the Wednesday manager this evening as he keeps faith with the same XI that have put the Owls with one foot in the final. Unlike Brighton, they had no injury concerns after that first leg, and Carvahal was even able to rest a few of his key players towards the closing stages of the contest to give them an extra bit of rest before tonight's huge game.

It has been a long season for the Owls, and the likes of Kieran Lee, who scored his side's second goal in the first leg, will be making his 51st appearance of the campaign tonight. He was joined on the scoresheet by Wallace at Hillsborough and both of those midfielders start again tonight, while they are joined in the middle of the park by Lopez and Bannan.

Leading the line for the Owls tonight will be Hooper once again, but the star of the show this season has been Fernando Forestieri. He was in the running to be named the Championship Player of the Season following his performances throughout the course of the campaign, scoring 15 league goals to fire Wednesday into the playoffs. He thought he had added to that tally in the first leg too, but his goal was disallowed after a long debate between the officials.

Brighton will need to keep Forestieri quiet tonight if they are to stand any chance of overturning the deficit, with any Sheffield Wednesday goal leaving the Seagulls needing three in reply. You have to feel for Brighton should they not make it to Wembley after such an impressive campaign, particularly after they missed out on automatic promotion by the skin of their teeth with a final-day draw against Middlesbrough.

They went into that match knowing that only a win at the Riverside would do for their automatic promotion hopes, but after Dale Stephens had cancelled out Stuani's opener the Brighton midfielder was then controversially sent off and Hughton's side were unable to get the second goal they needed. In the end they only missed out on a place in the top two on goal difference, but the manner in which they did miss out perhaps affected their performance in the first leg of this tie.

It was always going to be hard for Chris Hughton to build his players back up after that Middlesbrough draw, but there were other factors in their first-leg defeat to Sheffield Wednesday too. Brighton were dealt a rotten hand when they lost four players to injuries, the last of which came in the 56th minute, leaving them with 10 men for the vast majority of the second half. Hughton had made all three subs by the 50th minute, and considering the circumstances he may be happy just to still be in the tie at this stage.

It is a big ask to overturn that deficit, but Brighton will be confident of doing so considering their attacking pedigree this season. No team in the Championship scored more goals than the Seagulls this term, while they have scored two or more goals in seven of their last 10 home league games - exactly what they need to do tonight. In all they have scored 25 goals in those 10 home games, including 4-0 triumphs over Leeds and QPR and a 5-0 victory against Fulham.

Just as importantly, they have kept six clean sheets and conceded only six goals in that 10-match run, winning seven and drawing six of those games. That unbeaten run here at the Amex stretches back to New Year's Day, when they lost 1-0 to Wolves. Indeed, but for a blip over the festive period they have been fairly formidable in front of their own fans, starting and ending the season with 10-game unbeaten runs, separated by a three-match losing streak in the middle.

That pretty much sums up the story of their season too. Whatever happens tonight it has been a successful campaign for the Seagulls, who finished 20th last term and are a whopping 42 points better off this time around, and they have only really had one poor period of the entire season. Four of their joint league-low five defeats this season came in a one-month spell around the turn of the year, during which they went seven games without a win. Aside from that, though, they have been in very good form, starting the season with a 21-match unbeaten streak and ending it by going 14 unbeaten before the first leg.

Unfortunately for the Seagulls, their record against their fellow top-six clubs has not been good this season, which just adds further insult to injury after losing their £170m final-day decider against Middlesbrough. They only won one of 10 games against the teams around them in the table, and although they also only lost one of those, eight draws represents too many dropped points and another draw would be no good to them tonight either.

Sheffield Wednesday cannot exactly boast about their record against the top six either, although when it came to it they won the most important one so far on Friday. That was their first victory over any of the five teams who finished above them in the table, with the regular season seeing the Owls pick up just seven points from a possible 30 in those games (W0 D7 L3). Again, draws are the dominant result there, and you can be sure that they would take another stalemate tonight.

It would be some achievement for Wednesday should they make it to Wembley this season, having come from mid-table obscurity last season and not really been expected to push for the top six. Their turnaround has been nowhere near as dramatic as Brighton's, but they were still 18 points off the playoffs last season, finishing down in 13th place. Even this term they ended the campaign 15 points behind Brighton, but such is the beauty of the playoffs that they could still beat the Seagulls to Wembley.

In the end they qualified for the playoffs pretty comfortably, finishing five points clear of seventh-placed Ipswich Town despite a poor end to the season that saw them win just one of their final six regular-season games. They drew three and lost two of those, including defeat to Wolves on the final day of the campaign, with their solitary victory coming against Cardiff. Such form suggested that they might not do too well in the playoffs, but they seem to have turned it around when needed.

Carvahal will be stressing to his side that the job is by no means done just yet, though, and he will be fully aware of the threat Brighton pose in attack. Wednesday also have the worst defensive record in the top six, which will make him even more concerned, although they have been improving in that respect recently. They have kept seven clean sheets in their last 13 outings, and another one tonight would guarantee their place at Wembley on May 28.

Away from home is where their main problems have come this season, though, which will be a concern heading into tonight's match against a Brighton side who have generally been in good form at the Amex this term. The Owls failed to win any of their last three away games, with two defeats in that time, although directly before that run they kept four consecutive away clean sheets in an unbeaten run. They have only won seven of their 26 away games in all competitions this season, though, with nine draws and 10 defeats in that time.

Looking solely at the Championship, Wednesday posted just the 11th-best away record in the division, which is quite poor for a team in the playoffs. They picked up just 27 points on the road all season - 20 fewer than they managed at home - while eight of their 10 league defeats this season also came away from home.

The most recent of their away games was on the final day of the regular season when they were beaten 2-1 at Wolves, although with their playoff place already confirmed that was something of a dead-rubber for the Owls. Carvahal named a second-string side at Molineux and were comfortably beaten in the end, with their goal only coming as a 90th-minute consolation from the penalty spot.

PREDICTION: Right, we're just 10 minutes away from kickoff here, which means that it is time for a prediction! Brighton have shown this season that they have the goals required to overturn this deficit, but with their injury problems it is going to be difficult for them. Wednesday's away form cannot be ignored, but while I can see the hosts winning this leg, I think that the visitors did enough in the first leg to progress tonight.

Wednesday do have a good record away to Brighton in recent meetings, going three unbeaten with one win and two draws in that time. That would, of course, be enough to see them through to the final tonight, and they will happily take a repeat of either of their two league clashes this season, which both ended as draws.

Indeed, you have to go back to October 2013 for the last time that Sheffield Wednesday even conceded against Brighton, with the Owls having kept clean sheets in each of their six meetings since. The league meeting here at the Amex in March ended in a goalless draw, but it would be a surprise if we were to see a repeat of that today with so much riding on the game for Brighton.

These two have contrasting records in the playoffs, though. Brighton have not won a playoff game since the Division Three final in 2004, drawing one and losing four since then, including each of their last three playoff games at home. Their only previous home playoff victory came all the way back in 1991, and they have conceded two or more goals in three of their four playoff outings in front of their own fans.

In contrast, Sheffield Wednesday have won all four of their playoff games in the past, with three coming in 2004-05 and the fourth arriving in the first leg of this tie. History is on their side in another way too, with the previous five second-tier sides to have won a playoff first leg 2-0 going on to reach the final.

KICKOFF: Here we go then! Brighton get us underway for this playoff semi-final second leg, with the hosts very much up against it here.

CHANCES! Brighton win an early corner and pile the pressure on. The first ball is attacked by Dunk and falls into a dangerous area, but Wednesday produce some heroic defending to deny first Sidwell then Wilson and finally Skalak.

Brighton are really looking to make a quick start to this game, and they have got into some good positions inside the Wednesday box already. The visitors' defence is a bit last-ditch, but so far it has been enough.

Sheffield Wednesday can probably expect the opening minutes of this game to be a sign of how the whole match is going to go. They have sat back and allowed Brighton the majority of possession, with the onus very much on the hosts to break them down.

YELLOW CARD! Brighton win a free kick in a very promising position here as Loovens fouls Knockaert after the Albion man had skipped past the defender. Loovens goes into the book, but further punishment could be forthcoming...

OFF THE POST! Brighton just cannot catch a break in this tie! Knockaert takes the free kick and curls it beautifully over the wall, but it smacks against the inside of the post and somehow stays out. So unlucky for the hosts.

Carlos Carvahal will be concerned with what he has seen in this match so far. He would have expected Brighton to come out quickly and for the hosts to see more of the ball, but they are looking dangerous and an opening goal may not be far away if things carry on like this.

YELLOW CARD! It's another card and another free kick right on the edge of the area here. This time it is Lees who goes into the book for dragging down Kayal, and Knockaert has another chance here...

SAVE! Almost a stroke of genius from Knockaert. Having beaten the wall over the top last time, this time he tries to sneak one under it and into the bottom corner. The wall fall for it, but Westwood gets down to make the save.

CLOSE! Brighton really are knocking on the door here, and it is Knockaert who comes close again. He fires one towards goal from around 25 yards out and the ball takes a big deflection off Lees before dropping just past the post. I don't think Westwood would have got there!

CHANCE! Brighton are laying siege to the Wednesday goal. Baldock is the latest to get forward and collect a high ball inside the box before volleying it towards goal, but Westwood reacts well to tip it over the top.

CHANCE! My word, how are Brighton not ahead in this match?! Yet another chances goes begging as a cross from the left is flicked on by Wilson to Knockaert at the back post, but the midfielder nods past the post from six yards when he really should score.

Pudil is fairly fortunate not to join his two central defenders in the book for a sliding challenge on Bruno that got nowhere near the ball. Brighton have a free kick in a good crossing position...

Brighton have the breakthrough! Knockaert is the man who swings the free kick into the box, and it is a beauty that takes everyone out of the game apart from Dunk. The defender is there to put it in from close range, and it is tie very much on now!

There is no doubt that Brighton deserve that goal, and Wednesday will be thankful that it is only 1-0 at this stage of the contest. As things stand they are still going through to the final, but they need to improve drastically if they are to hold on to their aggregate lead.

That goal may just spark Sheffield Wednesday into action, with their cushion now only one goal. They have offered absolutely nothing going forward so far, with Brighton utterly dominating.

The early signs are that the opening goal has settled Wednesday into the game a little bit. They are now enjoying more of the ball and successfully slowing the game down following's Brighton's whirlwind opening 20 minutes.

One thing is for sure - Brighton fans will be delighted that Knockaert was passed fit for this match. He can be a bit hit and miss at times, but he looks very much in the mood tonight.

Oh my word, where has that come from?! The visitors level things up on the night and restore their two-goal aggregate advantage out of absolutely nothing. I'm tempted to say that they still haven't had a shot on target as this was definitely a cross from Wallace, who swung the ball into the middle from the right flank. No-one can get on the end of it, though, and it goes all the way through to nestle into the far corner.

Brighton are not happy with that goal as Hooper appeared to push Dunk under the ball as the defender was trying to clear the cross. The luck is simply not with Brighton in this tie!

Dunk picks the ball up inside the Wednesday half and strides out of defence, somehow making it past two or three challenges and to the edge of the box. He tries to dink a pass into the area, but that is one step too far and it runs through to the keeper.

CHANCE! Big chance for Wilson to put Brighton back ahead! Knockaert slides a pass in to the striker and his first touch is perfect to drive him towards goal, but Westwood makes the save as Wilson tries to poke it past the keeper.

Yet another free kick for Brighton in a dangerous area here, although this is a little further out and perhaps not best suited for Knockaert...

CLOSE! Indeed, it is Skalak who goes for goal, and it is another fine effort. He zips it over the wall and Westwood is seriously worried, but the ball flies narrowly over the crossbar.

Roger East is calling over a few players here just to calm things down. He is trying to keep a lid on the occasion here, with so much riding on the game for both sides.

There seems to be a problem off the pitch here, with another Brighton free kick being delayed as Roger East points to the big screen. I'm not sure exactly what that is about, but the Brighton fans are growing frustrated with the time it is taking to get the game going again.

Bong gets down the left and tries to swing a cross into the box, but it is poor and goes straight behind for a goal kick. It looked for one moment as if it might call Westwood problems, but he always looked to have it covered.

A good attacking platform goes begging for the hosts as Knockaert drives into a bit of space up the middle of the park, only to put too much on his pass out wide left as it goes straight out for a throw.

There will be four minutes of added time at the end of this first half.

OFF THE LINE! Lady Luck shines on Sheffield Wednesday again here as they clear the ball off the line twice in a matter of seconds! Lee is the second to get the ball clear after the ball was flick towards goal.

CHANCE! Oh my word, what a chance this is for Wednesday to put the game to bed! Moments after clearing the ball off the line they break forward on the counter, with Forestieri leading the charge. He picks out a beauty of a cross with the outside of his boot to find Hooper, who plants a firm header towards the far corner. Stockdale reacts brilliantly to make a big, big save, though.

Well, what a half of football that was! The two sides go into the break level on the night, with Wednesday somehow still two ahead of aggregate. Brighton got off to a whirlwind start to the game and deservedly took the lead, but Wednesday levelled things up on the night completely against the run of play.

The opening goal came after just 19 minutes when Brighton's early pressure final paid off, with Dunk converting from close range after Knockaert's free kick had gone all the way through to the back post. Knockaert was the danger man for the majority of that first half and it was no surprise that he had a big say in the goal having come so close on numerous occasions himself before that.

Wednesday levelled things up just 10 minutes later on their first meaningful attack of the game, and Brighton were once again left bemoaning their luck. Wallace got the goal, just as he did in the first leg on Friday, although this time his effort was intended as a cross. His delivery went all the way through and nestled into the corner, although Brighton felt that there was a foul on Dunk as he went to clear it.

That goal came out of absolutely nothing, and Brighton will be wondering just how they are not leading at the break. They laid siege to the Brighton goal in the opening 20 minutes, with Knockaert alone hitting the inside of the post and seeing three other efforts come very close. Baldock has also been denied by Westwood, while Wednesday have made numerous last-ditch blocks to keep the Seagulls at bay.

Wednesday could have put the tie to bed in the last minute of the first half, though, hitting Brighton with a lightning counter-attack. Fresh from clearing the ball off the line twice in quick succession Hooper drove out of defence before giving the ball to Forestieri. He in turn sent a magnificent cross into the middle for Hooper again, but Stockdale pulled off a brilliant save to deny the striker.

KICKOFF: Sheffield Wednesday get us back underway for this second half and they have made a change at the break, with Sam Hutchinson replacing Lopez.

SAVE! Westwood is called into action early in this second half as he gets down low at his near post to push away Skalak's effort before then cutting out a cross/shot from Wilson from the rebound.

SAVE! Another save for Westwood to make, but this is as routine as they come. Wilson turns his man to create space to shoot, but he can't get any power behind the effort and the keeper easily gathers it.

SAVE! At the other end it is almost a keeper error that sees Wednesday take the lead on the night! Bannan lets fly from just outside the box and it bounces just in front of Stockdale, but he should still collect it. Instead he spills it into a dangerous area and is fortunate that no Wednesday players are waiting to take advantage.

Another goal for Wednesday would surely kill this tie off, with Brighton then needing three goals without further reply. The visitors have threatened on the odd occasion to get that goal, and are certainly enjoying a better time of things in the opening stages of the second half than they did in the first.

YELLOW CARD! Hutchinson goes into the book for a mixture of a foul on Kayal and a word out of place to the referee.

YELLOW CARD! Kayal quickly follows him into the book for a very cynical challenge on Forestieri. Some of Wednesday's players want a red, but it was a long way from goal.

Kayal is walking a tightrope here! He flies into a challenge on Wallace just moments after being booked and Roger East could quite easily produce a second yellow there. The referee opts for leniency, but Kayal will not get another one.

YELLOW CARD! Roger East does produce a card here as Jack Hunt goes into the book for time wasting.

Brighton win another free kick in a really good position, but Skalak's delivery is so disappointing as he puts his cross straight behind for a goal kick.

BRIGHTON SUB: The hosts make their first change of the night as Baldock is replaced by Kazenga LuaLua.

YELLOW CARD! Knockaert is the latest name in the book for chopping down Forestieri to stop a counter.

Referee Roger East needs to keep a lid on this game. It is threaten to boil over, with the latest flash point coming as Wallace goes down. LuaLua and Bong clearly feel that he is time wasting and say as much, which results in a minor skirmish between the players.

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY SUB: It proves to be a legitimate injury, though, and Wallace limps off to be replaced by Jeremy Helan.

Sheffield Wednesday are still looking as solid as ever right now, and Brighton's intensity seems to be on the wane. That is no surprise considering how they started this match, but they still need those two goals.

Just 20 minutes now remain for Brighton to get their two goals. The chances have dried up for the home side in this second half, and they may well be made to rue not making more of their early dominance.

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY SUB: A third and final change for the visitors sees Hooper replaced by Atdhe Nuhiu.

Brighton win another free kick in shooting range here as Nuhiu had lost the ball in a dangerous area...

Either it is a mistake or it is a very strange routine from the free kick. Knockaert runs up and then remonstrates with his teammates for not moving out of the way, before the two standing in front of the ball move into position and LuaLua eventually slams a shot into the wall.

CHANCE! Decent chance for Wednesday as Nuhiu gives the ball to Forestieri, who does well to keep hold of it and squeeze a pass out to Lee. Lee in turn delivers the cross to Nuhiu at the back post, but his header goes wide.

BRIGHTON SUB: Another change for the hosts here as Liam Rosenior comes on in place of Greer.

That change has seen Brighton go to three at the back, with Dunk seemingly thrown up front as a makeshift striker. This is where Brighton's injury crisis really hurts them!

Time really is beginning to run out for Brighton now, but they haven't looking like scoring since the opening stages of this half. They need one in the next few minutes surely.

YELLOW CARD! Brilliant break from Wednesday, with Helan striding forward. He beats Bruno, who has to haul the man down and take a yellow card for the team.

Half a chance for Brighton as the ball drops to Wilson on the edge of the box, but his shot on the turn goes well off target.

YELLOW CARD! Nuhiu is the latest name in the book for a barge into the back of Kayal.

It is looking like Wednesday will be the first team to reach this season's Championship playoff final then, with Brighton now struggling to get another going. They look like they have just run out of steam here.

There will be six minutes of added time at the end of this match.

CHANCE! Late chance for Brighton to pull one back, and it is Dunk again! The ball falls to him inside the area and he fires a firm effort goalwards, but Westwood makes a fine save.

So it is Sheffield Wednesday who reach the Championship playoff final after an enthralling second leg against Brighton which ended 1-1 on the night and 3-1 to the Owls on aggregate. It looks as though it will be Hull they will face in the Wembley final on May 28 as Wednesday look to return to the Premier League for the first time in 16 years.

That is all we have time for this evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole as Sheffield Wednesday book their place in the Championship playoff final by drawing with Brighton. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction. The second semi-final takes place tomorrow night, so be sure to join us for coverage of that too! From me, though, it is goodbye for now!