The Owls were sent out of the FA Cup by Stephen Ireland and Darius Vassell goals either side of half-time by they gave Premiership opponents Manchester City a major scare with a spirited performance. Lee Bullen's 51st-minute leveller gave the sell-out 6,000 travelling support hope but, despite mounting late pressure on Nicky Weaver's goal, Brian Laws' men couldn't find the second equaliser which would have forced extra-time.
Wednesday made a positive start on their first visit to the City of Manchester Stadium. They spent the majority of the opening five minutes in their opponents' half and could have profited from a mix-up between Richard Dunne and Weaver. The defender's backpass was ill-judged and the keeper was almost embarrassed by the on-rushing Steven MacLean.
But the hosts then seized the initiative, led by their midfield talisman Joey Barton. Freed from suspension, he was one of four changes made by Stuart Pearce from the opening game at Hillsborough. In the 11th minute, his low 20-yard free-kick grazed Mark Crossley's left-hand post. Ten minutes later, Barton's driving run fed Stephen Ireland, and his tame shot was spilt by the Owls keeper before running to safety. Within a minute, Crossley made a more familiar intervention, rushing from his line to thwart Vassell, who had taken a heavy touch when clean through on goal.
Wednesday threatened too, notably when Marcus Tudgay ran onto MacLean's inch-perfect pass and forced a fine save from Weaver low to his right. The former Owls loanee was also called upon to deny Chris Brunt from a rehearsed free-kick routine as Wednesday temporarily broke City's midfield dominance.
Eleven minutes from the interval, the visitors were again indebted to Crossley, this time for an even better save from Vassell. The England international used his pace to run unhindered from almost the halfway line but the loanee stuck out a leg to divert his shot for a corner.
Having survived the Vassell chances, the Owls would have been disappointed to concede Ireland's goal in the manner they did. It came just seconds after Brunt had been inches away from long range, with the SWFC defence looking for a flag against Barton, who had timed his run from midfield to perfection. He slid a low cross to the far post, from where Ireland couldn't fail to score.
Just as in the opening tie, Wednesday rallied immediately, and they could have levelled in first-half injury-time when Graham Coughlan - recalled for the injured Madjid Bougherra - headed Brunt's free-kick over when he would have expected to hit the target.
Laws made two changes at the interval, bringing on Yoann Folly and Wade Small in place of Kenny Lunt and Deon Burton. Small's impact, in particular, was immediate. With his first run, he won a corner. With his second, he earned the free-kick from which Bullen equalised. It was a tremendous glancing and looping header from Brunt's inswinging delivery for his first goal of the season.
With thirtysomethings Coughlan and Bullen at the back, Vassell's pace was still a worry, and Crossley pulled off his third save from the former Villa man after 53 minutes - requiring two minutes of treatment when Vassell followed through. When play resumed the striker finally had has goal when he was allowed too much space in the penalty area to receive Bernardo Corradi's layoff and fire a shot into the far corner.
Crossley was called upon to make routine saves from Ireland and Corradi before a mix-up between Weaver and Micah Richards gave Wednesday a sniff of goal for the first time since falling behind again. MacLean's shot was blocked and Small put the rebound just over from 20 yards.
Tudgay had an excellent chance to force extra-time when he chested down Simek's long pass but sliced his volley wide of the near post. But, although Laws sent on Richard Wood so Coughlan could march up front - and Crossley ventured forward for another corner - the leveller wouldn't come.
City (3-5-2): Weaver; Richards, Dunne, Distin; Sinclair, Barton, Dabo, Ireland, Jordan; Corradi (Samaras 76), Vassell (Beasley 90+3). Subs: Isaksson, Johnson, Miller.
Wednesday (4-4-2): Crossley; Simek (Wood 88), Coughlan, Bullen, Spurr; Tudgay, Lunt (Folly h-t), Whelan, Brunt; MacLean, Burton (Small h-t). Subs: Adamson, Graham.
Attendance: 25,621
Referee: Mike Dean
Booked: Coughlan (foul) 13 mins, Sinclair (deliberate handball) 37 mins, Whelan (foul) 57 mins
