Sheffield Wednesday were deserved winners against Colchester United on Tuesday night, winning by a 2-0 score line at Hillsborough.

Frank Simek's second strike for the club and an own goal from Matthew Mills, both coming in the first half, were enough to keep the Essex side at bay on the night.

Boss Brian Laws made just one change to the team which drew 1-1 at Queens Park Rangers on Saturday, Peter Gilbert given his chance to impress at left back.

Wednesday opened the U's up inside the first minute when Burton's cross from the left saw Lunt stretch to convert but unable make a decent connection at the far post.

Burton found a way through the Colchester defence on the four minute mark but dragged a left foot effort well wide of Dean Gerken's post. He went closer moments later with a 20-yard curler and it was certainly the home team enjoying the better of the opening exchanges.

The Owls carved out another opportunity when Lee Bullen flicked on a long throw-in from Frank Simek but the ball ran just in front of MacLean, who could not get a telling touch on it.

Colchester tried a new 4-5-1 formation on their visit to South Yorkshire but were not managing to cause many problems for their hosts, apart from frustrating the Owls with men behind the ball.

The U's rearguard did well to deal with a couple of whipped-in crosses from Chris Brunt on the left but neither goalkeeper really had a save to make until Simek broke the deadlock.

Colchester had a man down in the centre circle but the referee allowed play to continue and Marcus Tudgay slipped the ball into Simek, who raced in from the left and unleashed his shot. His effort was blocked by the U's defence but fell kindly to the American, who lashed the ball back into the net with considerable power to make it 1-0.

The home side were visibly buoyed by their lead and Brunt did well to work his way into the box moments later only to have his right foot shot deflected wide by Colchester defender Matthew Mills.

But Mills was soon to be found in an embarrassing situation as Brunt curled in a corner and the centre back on loan from Manchester City headed into his own net at the far post under little pressure from any Wednesday player.

Colchester's only real chances before the break were a Kevin McLeod shot well saved by Turner with his legs and a Richard Garcia effort lofted over the keeper's crossbar from a cross.

If the visitors thought it couldn't get any worse they lost their skipper, Karl Duguid with a knee injury when he fell awkwardly just before half time. The U's manager, Geraint Williams, changed things further at the break, replacing McLeod with John Jackson for the second half.

Brunt was again proving dangerous on the left flank after the interval though and Colchester full back George Elokobi did well to clear Tudgay's far post header from the Northern Irishman's superb angled delivery.

Burton was also close in the first ten minutes after the re-start and Richard Wood headed just wide from Gilbert's deep ball having stayed up from a corner.

At the other end Ephraim curled a shot just off target in a rare Colchester attack but the emphasis was again with Wednesday. The Owls looked solid defensively and kept possession of the ball quite comfortably.

Colchester could not make any inroads towards Turner's goal and Williams introduced young striker Jamie Guy to liven things up. But the bustling forward was well matched by Wood, who put in another outstanding display at the back.

Guy managed to race clear on 75 minutes but rifled his right foot effort wide of the target.

That chance was against the run of play though and the Owls went extremely close to extending their lead when Brunt flashed a low effort onto inside of the far post. Gerken was grateful that the ball bounced straight back into his arms.

There was also time for a debut from the bench for 17-year-old Norwegian, Rocky Lekaj. While he only had a few minutes on the Hillsborough pitch the Academy winger had enough time to deliver a telling ball that Tudgay headed over and will no doubt have benefited greatly from the experience.

The win extends Wednesday's unbeaten run but what may be more pleasing for Laws is the first clean sheet of 2007, since the 3-0 win over Barnsley at Oakwell.

Sheffield Wednesday (4-4-2): Turner; Simek, Bullen, Wood, Gilbert (Spurr 85); Tudgay, Whelan (Folly 78), Lunt, Brunt; MacLean (Lekaj 86), Burton.

Subs not used: Adamson, Graham.

Booked: Brunt, Simek.

Colchester United (4-5-1): Gerken; Duguid (Baldwin 45), Mills, Brown, Elokobi; Garcia, Izzet, Watson (Guy 64), McLeod (Jackson 46), Ephraim, Iwelumo.

Subs not used: Davison, Barker.

Booked: Izzet, Ephraim.