The Owls failed to make any headway on their Championship relegation rivals after falling to defeat against a Crewe side that moved off the bottom for the first time in 2006.

The Railwaymen's on-loan former Sheffield United striker Gareth Taylor did the damage, with two goals in the latter stages of the first half, ending Wednesday's four-match undefeated run and breathing life to the hosts' faint hopes of avoiding the drop.

Wednesday had come into the match knowing even a draw would render Crewe's hopes of catching them almost impossible - Dario Gradi had admitted as much in the run-up to the game. With the hosts going for goals, and having scored in every home match since early December, Paul Sturrock opted to start with Marcus Tudgay in midfield in a similar shape to that which was used at Wolves.

But far from being a defensive formation, the Owls were encouraged to try to get forward too, and they had the best two chances of the opening stages. Jon-Paul McGovern had been handed his first league start of the season in place of Chris Brunt and he pulled back a low ball for Glenn Whelan to fire over. Then Deon Burton latched onto Tudgay's flick but shot into the side-netting.

However, Crewe took charge of the first half from the moment Scott Carson was called upon to produce an unbelievable save from Steve Jones' 20th-minute volley. The on-loan keeper was powerless to prevent the hosts from taking the lead on the half-hour after Glenn Whelan lost possession in midfield. Billy Jones ran at Frank Simek, who slipped - or was tripped - and sent in a low cross for Taylor to slide home the opener from close range.

The lead was doubled right on the stroke of half-time and, again, the Owls defence weren't happy with the officials' decision-making. They protested in vain for a foul on Burton O'Brien but the referee played an advantage that backfired and home skipper Kenny Lunt sent over an inch-perfect cross for Taylor to net his second.

Crewe continued in the ascendancy after the break and, after 50 minutes, Carson produced a fine save from Madjid Bougherra's header for the second time in the match. Then Steve Jones shot wide after bursting into the box, Luke Rodgers fell under a suspicious-looking challenge from Frank Simek when clean through on goal and Carson foiled Taylor's hat-trick bid as Crewe threatened to make the points safe.

Sturrock switched to a 3-5-2 system, sending on Lee Bullen and Brunt for Whelan and McGovern; within minutes, Bullen saw a rising shot tipped over by Ross Turnbull.

Refere Penton's decisions caused further puzzlement when Burton was clearly felled in the box by Bougherra and, seconds later, when Rodgers went down under Patrick Collins' challenge when clean through on goal. On neither occasion did the man in black show any signs of whistling.

Wednesday staged a late rally in which Tudgay shot against team mate Burton and Turnbull produced a fine save from the former Rotherham striker but Crewe held out with few difficulties to keep the Owls firmly in the thick of the Championship relegation battle.

Crewe (4-4-2): Turnbull; Otsemobor, Bougherra, Foster, B Jones; Bell, Lunt, Grant, S Jones; Taylor, Rodgers (Varney 90). Subs: Tomlinson, Vaughan, McCready, O'Connor.

Wednesday (4-5-1): Carson; Simek, Collins, Coughlan, Hills; McGovern (Brunt 54), Whelan (Bullen 54), Tudgay, Folly, O'Brien (Best 77); Burton. Subs: Adamson, MacLean.

Attendance: 8,007 (2,273 away)

Referee: C Penton

Booked: Collins (foul) 33 mins, Whelan (foul) 45 mins, Lunt (foul) 57 mins, Bell (dissent) 67 mins