Sheffield Wednesday battled to a fine away win at Colchester United on Tuesday night, coming from a goal down to win 2-1 with a vital three points in the fight against relegation.

The Owls were behind on four minutes but hit back through Deon Burton and Wade Small before the break to seal the victory and hammer a massive blow into Colchester's thin hopes of Championship survival.

Brian Laws made two changes from the team that started against QPR on Saturday. First half substitutes in that 2-1 victory at Hillsborough, Sean McAllister and Deon Burton started at Layer Road in place of Ronnie Wallwork and Enoch Showunmi respectively.

A blustery evening in northeast Essex got off to a lively start with Wednesday taking the game to their opponents from the first whistle but the hosts soon getting at Laws' back four.

Inside two minutes in-form striker Kevin Lisbie was causing danger around the Owls box and by the fourth minute the former Charlton forward had scored his third goal in as many matches.

U's captain, Karl Duguid, cut in from the right and fired a low shot across goal. Lee Grant stretched to get a hand on the ball but the onrushing Lisbie forced it over the line from close range at the far post for his 13th of the season.

Four minutes later midfielder Johnnie Jackson found space in the box with an opportunity to extend Colchester's lead but Grant comfortably held his shot.

It was a frantic start at the tight Layer Road ground and new loan winger Franck Songo'o carved out a good chance for the Owls on ten minutes, providing a low centre for Burton which was just deflected over in front of Dean Gerken's goal.

Lisbie continued to be a threat though and, on the counter attack, he raced down left, Wednesday skipper Richard Wood slipped allowing Lisbie to cross but Duguid fired wide from just inside the box.

And the Owls were back on level terms on 18 minutes as Burton judged the windy conditions perfectly to rise and bravely head Graham Kavanagh's deep free kick past Gerken as he advanced off his line to make it 1-1.

Wednesday took a much firmer grip on the game following Burton's equaliser and made some good passing movements on the Layer Road turf, while working hard to close down when they lost possession.

The visitors could have taken the lead after a goalmouth scramble following a free kick which saw Burton shoot across the face of goal but Richard Hinds just could not direct his header on target.

On the half-hour mark a good one-touch movement involving Burton and Marcus Tudgay resulted in McAllister volleying just wide from 20-yards but there was a sigh of relief from the visiting fans moments later when Colchester counter-attacked again.

Kavanagh's free kick was caught up in the wind and easily cleared by the U's, as they quickly turned defence into attack, charging towards Grant's goal. But the Irish midfielder did well to track back and make a telling last-ditch tackle on Duguid in the penalty area.

But it was the dedicated Wednesday fans at Layer Road celebrating behind just before half time as the Owls took a 2-1 lead into the break.

McAllister slipped the ball past Colchester's back line allowing Wade Small to race away and unleash a powerful shot at goal. Gerken got a strong hand to the ball but it was not enough to stop it hitting the back of the net on 44 minutes, giving Wednesday a vital half-time lead.

The second half did not start with the same high tempo as the first but the home side still threatened to get back on level terms. Front man Clive Platt headed down to Duguid on the edge of the box eight minutes after the interval but Mark Beevers lashed the ball to safety.

Moments later the Colchester fans were up in arms as Lisbie nicked the ball past Grant but was adjudged offside.

Colchester refused to lie down and Jackson flashed a powerful drive just wide from 25 yards on 63 minutes.

But Wednesday always looked likely to threaten on the counter-attack and the U's fans' frustrations were apparent as the Owls looked to seal their opponents' relegation fate.

Resolute defending had to be the name of Wednesday's game with such high stakes in the battle to avoid the drop and Laws' men were certainly prepared to do anything within their powers to protect their lead.

Duguid's 20-yard effort was deflected onto the bar on 70 minutes and moments later Hinds made an outstanding clearance as Lisbie looked to feed former Brighton midfielder Dean Hammond.

When Wednesday did clear their lines Tudgay and Burton were usually on hand to hold the ball up effectively. On 80 minutes the two combined well on the counter with the Jamaica international seeing his shot saved by Gerken.

Substitute Enoch Showunmi continued the defensive team effort with a block from Jackson in the dying stages and it was a deserved result for Wednesday after an industrious display from front to back.

The Owls (4-4-2): Grant; Hinds, Beevers, Wood, Spurr; Songo'o (Showunmi 86), McAllister, Kavanagh, Small (O'Brien 90 +4); Burton, Tudgay.

Subs not used: Burch, Wallwork, Boden.

Booked: Songo'o, Beevers.

Colchester (4-4-2): Gerken; Ifil, Coyne (Balogh 24), Virgo, White; Duguid (Vernon 78), Izzet (Elito 62), Hammond, Jackson; Lisbie, Platt.

Subs not used: Bankole, Wordsworth.

Attendance: 5,086