Sheffield Wednesday pulled off another stunning victory on the road, triumphing 1-0 at promotion-chasing West Bromwich Albion on Friday night.
A solitary goal from Deon Burton just before the hour was enough to seal the result in front of the Sky television cameras and puts the Owls within three points of the play-offs with just three matches left. All of a sudden the play-offs have become a real possibility for the Hillsborough side.
Burton returned to the Wednesday starting line-up as Brian Laws continued his policy of rotating the Wednesday strike force, this time Leon Clarke dropping to the bench.
Steve Watson was unavailable due to the terms of his loan deal with West Brom. But Jermaine Johnson had recovered from chicken pox sufficiently to take up a place on the substitutes bench.
With West Brom fourth in the Championship going into the match and Wednesday needing to 'do or die' both teams came out determined to score goals.
The Owls looked threatening but it was the home side that managed a first shot on goal. Carter drove in a low effort from distance after a loose ball from Burton but it was easily held by Iain Turner in the Owls' goal in the fifth minute.
A minute later Richard Wood recovered to make an excellent block as the Championship's third top scorer, Diomansy Kamara, raced through, having been supplied by Nathan Ellington.
The Owls pushed forward themselves though and Sam Sodje did well to head back and clear the danger as Burton latched onto a high through-ball in the Albion penalty area before Glenn Whelan's volley from a Steven MacLean cross was deflected for a corner.
Albion continued to pile forward. Carter volleyed from 25 yards on 16 minutes but Turner grasped the stinging effort at the second attempt before Spurr dispossessed Kamara just inside the Owls' box.
Centre back, Wood, was commanding again at the back with some telling headers and timely interceptions alongside his equally solid skipper, Lee Bullen.
Halfway through the opening period the match could already be described as 'end-to-end.'
West Brom skipper, Paul Robinson, was on hand to make a vital header at the far post to clear from Brunt's cross, before Kamara fired into the side netting on 24 minutes. Burton's low effort from 20 yards was held by Kiely, while Zoltan Gera's long-range shot was claimed by Turner.
MacLean then forced Sodje into giving a corner and Wood saw a good attacking header blocked. Burton and Tudgay combined well to slot MacLean through but the Scot shot narrowly wide of the near post from an angle.
It was certainly a busy night for defenders too. On 31 minutes Bullen denied Ellington at the near post and again made a vital block moments later before it was Wood's turn to clear from Kamara. The resulting corner saw Ellington drag his shot just wide of the far post in the 36th minute.
The only surprise at half time was that the game remained scoreless and the home side certainly emerged after the break looking like a team wanting to maximise their promotion chances.
Midfielder, Robert Koren was just off target from 20-yards before Carter's touch beyond the Owls' back line was just too heavy, allowing Turner to collect.
With the hour-mark approaching Wednesday were holding firm, keeping the onslaught at bay and preventing clear-cut chances.
The Baggies would stress that Burton's goal came against the run of play and keeper, Kiely, felt he had kept the ball from crossing the line but the officials disagreed and the Owls were ahead in the 59th minute.
For the third game in a row Brunt whipped a ball in from the left and Burton met it at close range. Kiely got fingertips to the shot and reacted to pull it in play just too late.
The keeper remonstrated with the officials to no avail and five minutes later he was booked for hand ball near the corner flag giving Wednesday a free kick in dangerous territory.
The Owls fans were duly showing their appreciation and having a fine party at the Hawthorns, seeing their team draw to within three points of the top six - something they would scarcely have dreamt of at the end of January.
As the Baggies desperately tried to reel the game back Albrechtsen crossed only for Kamara to miss-connect at the far post on 73 minutes. Koren curled an effort narrowly wide from 25 yards a couple of minutes later and the last throw of the dice for home manager Tony Mowbray was to throw on former England striker Kevin Phillips for the closing stages.
Koren had another effort deflected just wide in the dying stages and Kamara headed off target from the resulting corner. Injury time also saw Neil Clement dismissed for raising his hand to substitute Clarke and Darren Carter sent off for a second booking. Albion's evening went from bad to worse and the Baggies finished with nine men.
The home team just could not find a way through the visitors' rearguard though and the Owls showed real character and quality on the night.
On the whole it was a thoroughly professional performance from start to finish by Laws men. One they can be proud of and one that may give them an outside chance of a top six finish.
Sheffield Wednesday: Turner; Simek (Hills 90), Bullen, Wood, Spurr; Tudgay, Whelan (Folly 75), Lunt, Brunt; Burton, MacLean (Clarke 80).
Subs not used: Adamson, Johnson.
West Brom: Kiely; Albrechtsen, McShane, Sodje (Clement 68), Robinson; Gera (Phillips 76), Koren, Carter, Greening (Koumas 60), Ellington, Kamara.
Subs not used: Chaplow, Hodgkiss.
Referee: N Swarbrick
Attendance: 20,415
