It was lucky seven at Hillsborough for the Owls as they finally sealed a Championship win after six previous straight defeats.

Francis Jeffers' maiden goal for Wednesday proved decisive, his stunning first half effort settling a feisty local derby.

Brian Laws made three changes to the team that went down to Burnley in midweek. New loan recruits Graham Kavanagh and Michael Johnson were handed immediate starts in place of Kenny Lunt and Wade Small. Akpo Sodje dropped to the bench as Deon Burton was recalled to the starting eleven.

The visitors posed the first threat when Bryan Hughes forced a corner inside five minutes and the same player headed over Lee Grant's crossbar from the flag kick.

New Hull signing Jay-Jay Okocha teed up Dean Marney from the edge of the area but Grant safely dealt with his daisycutter. Wednesday responded with a set piece from a similar area only for Etienne Esajas' tame effort to fall wide of the post.

Okocha was beginning to pull the strings for the Tigers and created two chances in as many minutes midway though the half. First, the Nigerian's snapshot from distance was deflected wide before Glenn Whelan cleared Hughes' header off the line from Okocha's corner.

A trademark advance from Frank Simek won Wednesday a free kick in dangerous territory and Jeffers came close to opening his Owls account. But the former Everton man could only watch in frustration as his curling effort fizzed past the post.

Okocha engineered another opening, this time for Sam Ricketts, with a clever ball and Grant parried the resulting shot to safety.

With Kavanagh and Johnson providing calm heads in defence and midfield, the Owls had a steely edge which carried to the home fans, making for the best atmosphere of the S6 term so far.

Simek tried his luck after darting into the box and saw Boaz Myhill deal comfortably with his shot that lacked any real power.

The breakthrough came for Wednesday five minutes before the interval. Jeffers finally made his mark and with some style too as he fired the Owls into their first home lead of the League season; the striker firing an unstoppable shot over Myhill into the top corner from 20 yards.

Laws was forced into a change at half time as the injured Tommy Spurr made way for Richard Hinds. Richard Wood moved across to left back leaving Hinds to slot into central defence.

The hosts started the second period as they had ended the first. A delightful touch from Jeffers sent Esajas racing down the left flank and his cross eventually fell to Kavanagh, who thumped a rasping drive over the bar.

Okocha responded with a run and shot that was never going to trouble Grant between the Wednesday sticks.

Marcus Tudgay entered the fray on the hour, replacing Jeffers, who left to a rousing reception from three sides of the ground. Tudgay's first involvement was the receipt of a yellow card only seconds after his introduction.

Hull dangerman Okocha fed substitute Stephen McPhee on 70 minutes and his crisp effort looked goalbound until Johnson stepped in with a crucial block at the last.

Again Okocha forced the pace, this time hitting a thumping drive into the Kop as Hull turned the screw. But Wednesday were in inspired mood and thwarted the Tigers' offensive threat.

The hosts finished the stronger of the two sides with only the woodwork denying substitute Wade Small a late strike.

Hull huffed and puffed as full time approached but the Owls held firm to post that elusive maiden win.