REPORT: Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 Wigan
Wednesday returned to winning ways at Hillsborough on Saturday, with Stevie May hitting both goals to down Wigan.
The visitors struck first through Chris McCann in the first half but the lead was immediately wiped out by May.
And the Scot found the target again after the resumption to hand the Owls a welcome home success.
The Owls and the Latics were looking for a return to winning ways and something had to give if the game was to produce a victor.
And it was Wednesday out of the traps the quicker as Atdhe Nuhiu headed over the crossbar following good wing work from Royston Drenthe.
It seemed the Owls would hit the front on 17 minutes when Jose Semedo struck from distance but the ball smashed against the inside of the post and ex-Owl Scott Carson parried Chris Maguire’s strike to safety from the rebound.
Then the game exploded into life with back to back goals.
First, on 25 minutes, the Latics stole into the lead against the run of play. James McLean swung in a dangerous corner and McCann headed home with some aplomb from six yards.
But with the game barely having restarted, May stroked home after a neat feed from Nuhiu to cancel out the advantage in an instant.
That positive response visibly buoyed the Owls and they almost went 2-1 up on the half-hour mark but for a fine Carson save when Jeremy Helan burst through on the angle.
The visitors had an excellent chance themselves before the break, with MacLean finding acres of space down the left side of the area but blasted into the side-netting.
Wigan started the second period with purpose and Lewis McGugan cleared a MacLean header off the line five minutes in before McCann volleyed over from six yards.
But Wednesday grew back into the game and after knocking on the door, broke through on 72 minutes to fire the winner.
Chris Maguire delivered a perfect ball into the danger zone and May sprang high to head home after the ball bounced off both posts and just over the line.
It was no more than May and Wednesday deserved following recent ill fortune and the hosts hung on to post their first win since September.
Owls: Westwood, Palmer, Loovens, Lees, Helan, Maguire, Semedo, McGugan, Drenthe (Lavery 89), Nuhiu, May
Wigan: Carson, Taylor, Ramis (Perch 46), McCann, Watson, McClean, McManaman, Boycem Barnett, Forshaw (Espinoza 77), Fortune