Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's first half strike proved the difference at Ninian Park as Wednesday were defeated 1-0 by Cardiff City on Saturday.

The Dutchman showed his class to lift the ball beyond Lee Grant in the 36th minute and, after hitting the goal frame twice, the home side will feel deserved winners.

Wednesday struggled to penetrate their hosts' defence in the Welsh capital and, despite a late rally, left Cardiff empty handed.

Brian Laws made two changes to the team that drew 2-2 at Derby County in the FA Cup six days earlier. Striker Leon Clarke made only his second start for the Owls this season in place of Francis Jeffers, who had a minor ankle complaint. Laws would have been hoping that Clarke could repeat last year's goal scoring feat at Ninian Park after returning from his loan at Southend United but it was not to be.

The other change saw Steve Watson return to the midfield in place of Jermaine Johnson, who dropped to the bench with Etienne Esajas starting on the right wing and Burton O'Brien reverting to a wide left position.

The first chance of the match came on five minutes after a misplaced pass from Esajas on the halfway line found fellow Dutchman Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink to set the Bluebirds off on an attack.

Cardiff captain Stephen McPhail managed to feed the ball to Peter Whittingham on the right side of the Owls penalty area but Lee Grant made the save and clutched the ball at the second attempt.

Whittingham caused danger again on 12 minutes when he whipped in a dipping cross from the right in the direction of Paul Parry but the ball found it's way straight into the grateful grasp of Grant.

The Owls first meaningful foray into the Bluebirds' box came just moments later as Clarke bustled in from the left and fed the ball through to Marcus Tudgay who could not quite produce a telling strike under pressure from the home defenders.

But it was not until the 28th minute when Wednesday forced home goalkeeper Michael Oakes into his first save of the afternoon. Tudgay laid the ball back to Clarke who struck low and hard from 25 yards but Oakes managed to divert the shot past his far post.

Clarke then had a header deflected over from an Esajas corner before Wednesday were close to conceding twice in close succession as the hosts upped the ante.

Whittingham's cross was deflected to Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and his header was excellently pushed over the bar by Grant. The resulting corner saw defender Roger Johnson rise and his header clipped the bar.

But moments later Cardiff took the lead as Gavin Rae produced a through-ball to Hasselbaink in the 36th minute. Grant rushed out as the experienced striker coolly clipped the ball into the back of the net to make it 1-0.

Just a couple of minutes before half time Joe Ledley beat the Owls' offside trap but somehow contrived to shoot wide from 12 yards with only Grant to beat. But the home side took their deserved advantage into the break.

With Wednesday creating few chances in the first half and the visitor's midfielders struggling to impose themselves on the match, Laws brought new signing Ronnie Wallwork into the action for the second half in place of Steve Watson. Esajas had been replaced showing signs of discomfort five minutes before the interval by Jermaine Johnson.

City emerged in the ascendancy once again though, Parry bursting through on 49 minutes but carrying the ball too far to cause damage. Two minutes later Glenn Loovens headed against the far post from Rae's cross as Wednesday were lucky not to fall further behind.

As the second half wore on a war of attrition appeared to develop in the middle third of the pitch with neither team really forcing any opportunities of note until the 71st minute when Richard Hinds' foul gave away a free kick 25 yards out in a central position.

Parry struck a low, powerful drive which Grant struggled to deal with but reacted well as Johnson attempted to turn it in from the rebound.

This seemed to spur the Owls on and Wallwork went close to pulling the visitors back level three minutes later when his header seemingly bound for the top right corner was beaten away by Oakes.

The Owls carved out another good chance when Glenn Whelan fed O'Brien on the right, who drove the ball across the six-yard box, just ahead of substitute Deon Burton.

Wednesday piled on the pressure in the final stages but despite six minutes of added time, following several second half stoppages, there was no way through a well-drilled defence and nothing but a long journey home for Brian Laws' men at the end of the match.

Wednesday (4-4-2): Grant; Bullen, Hinds, Beevers, Spurr; Esajas (Johnson 40), Watson, Whelan (Wallwork 46), O'Brien; Tudgay, Clarke (Burton 76).

Subs not used: Wood, Small.

Booked: Hinds

Cardiff (4-4-2): Oakes; McNaughton, Loovens, Johnson, Capaldi; Whittingham, Rae, McPhail, Ledley; Parry, Hasselbaink (Thompson 80).

Subs not used: Enckelman, Purse, MacLean, Ramsey.

Booked: Loovens

Referee: K Woolmer

Attendance: 14,015