The Owls posted a point for the seventh time of the season as they emerged with a 1-1 draw from Bolton.
But that barely told the story of a basement battle that Wednesday controlled from the start and they can count themselves unfortunate not to have secured that elusive maiden win.
The Trotters registered early from one of their few chances, with Jermaine Beckford striking first blood.
Wednesday squared the game courtesy of a first half Alex Baptiste own goal but failed to make their overall possession count thereafter with a winner.
And to compound matters, Jose Semedo saw red for a challenge on Jay Spearing five minutes from time.
There was little evidence of the two teams’ standings in the table through the early exchanges, particularly from the Owls, who carved two clear cut chances inside a minute.
First, Giles Cokes jinked his way into the area and fired a fierce drive inches wide, before the midfielder played a neat give and go with Matty Fratt, whose clipped effort was well saved by Adam Bogdan.
And the visitors were made to pay almost in an instant as Bolton broke upfield and scored from their first opening on 15 minutes.
Beckford found space down the right side of the penalty area to take a good ball from Neil Danns into his stride before stroking calmly past Chris Kirkland.
It was hard on the Owls given their encouraging start but they promptly got the rub of the green with a fortuitous equaliser ten minutes later.
Jeremy Helan sent an inviting cross right into the heart of the danger zone and the unfortunate Baptiste could only send a bullet header past his own goalkeeper.
The leveller certainly had the desired effect as the Owls went on to control the remainder of the half, with the only thing missing a second goal.
That almost arrived five minutes into the second half when Helan bombed inside the box and forced Bogdan into a smart save with the aid of a post.
Antonio then vollied wide after good work from Helan as Wednesday turned up the heat and Reda Johnson went close with a low header from an Antonio cross.
But Bolton still looked dangerous on the break as was evidenced by a miscued shot from Chris Eagles when the former Owls loanee might have done better.
Then followed two moments of controversy in the closing stages when firstly, Wednesday thought they had got the goal their dominance deserved.
A looping ball in the air fell to Jermaine Johnson, whose firm header bounced into the back of the net only for the strike to be ruled out by an assistant’s raised flag.
And on 85 minutes, Semedo challenged Bolton skipper Spearing for a loose ball and referee Chris Foy brandished a straight red card.
Still there was time for the home side to fashion two late chances but Kirkland showed great reflexes to deny twin headers from Matt Mills.
Bolton: Bogdan, McNaughton, Mills, Ream, Baptiste, Feeney (Lee 58), Medo, Spearing, Eagles (Hall 69), Danns (Ngog 78), Beckford
Owls: Kirkland, Buxton, Zayatte, Roger Johnson, Reda Johnson, McPhail, Coke (Palmer 90), Helan, Semedo, Antonio, Fryatt (Jermaine Johnson 65)