The Owls Under-21s were undone by an experienced Nottingham Forest side at Middlewood Road on Tuesday.
Forest ran out 4-0 winners in the lunchtime kick-off with goals from Roger Canadell, Jake Wholey, Oliver Burke and Jorge Grant.
It was a tough task facing the young Owls side with Forest naming the likes of Kelvin Wilson, Louis Lang and David Vaughan in their starting 11.
And just two minutes into the contest, the visitors gained an early advantage through Canadell, who nodded home from a corner.
Wednesday threatened to level midway through the half when Stephane Omeonga shot wide from long range before Joe Wildsmith made a smart double save to deny Forest a second goal.
Moments after the resumption, though, the visitors did double their lead and in unfortunate circumstances for Wednesday.
Wildsmith came through a crowded area to collect a cross but clashed with bodies in the area, and the ball dropped kindly to Wholey who notched Forest’s second of the afternoon.
Burke and Grant further extended the visitors’ lead in the 69th and 74th minute, though the youthful Wednesday side continued to battle as Omeonga again went close with a stinging effort before Franck Betra hit the post with a header from Jack Stobbs’ centre.
Owls: Wildsmith (McDonagh 81), Young, Floro (Beatson 46), De Haviland, Sanders, Croasdale, Stobbs, Hanna (Law 65), Dieseruvwe, Betra, Omeonga