After five and a half long years, the Sheffield bragging rights finally belong to Wednesday.

Goals either side of half time from Akpo Sodje and Marcus Tudgay settled an enthralling clash as the Owls ended the Blades' dominance of recent derbies to claim three vital Championship points.

Brian Laws' side turned in one of their best performances of the season - in front of Hillsborough's biggest crowd to boot - to sink United and now head into Tuesday's FA Cup replay against Derby with renewed confidence.

Wednesday made three changes from the side that lost to Cardiff last time out. Striker Sodje returned to the starting line-up in place of Leon Clarke, winger Jermaine Johnson came in for Etienne Esajas, while new recruit Ronnie Wallwork replaced Steve Watson in the engine room.

In a cracking S6 atmosphere, it was Johnson that showed early intent, evading two challenges at pace before cutting inside to shoot a tame effort into the arms of Paddy Kenny.

United had to wait until ten minutes in to launch their first serious attack after Owls defender Mark Beevers conceded a corner. Lee Martin sent over an accurate cross but the on-rushing Blades captain Gary Speed failed to get sufficient purchase eight yards out and sent his header well wide.

Wednesday went straight on the counter and Tudgay blasted over the bar from a tight angle. Then at the other end, Rob Hulse was inches away from heading in David Carney's teasing free kick.

As expected, tackles were flying in thick and fast and both sides continued their frenetic approach to the derby contest.

Johnson came close to breaking the deadlock in the 17th minute. The winger moved inside from the right flank and hit a fierce drive that deflected kindly to the diving Kenny, who just managed to glance the ball onto the top of the crossbar.

Chris Armstrong threatened for the visitors a minute later when he robbed Sodje on the edge of the penalty area but his underhit bobbler failed to trouble Grant.

The game sprang into life on 25 minutes and it was returning Owls goal star Sodje who fired Wednesday into the lead.

Johnson beat Armstrong down the wing and fashioned an inch-perfect feed for Sodje to sidefoot past Kenny from close range and send three sides of Hillsborough into raptures.

The frantic pace of the game continued as United went in search of an equaliser. But although the visitors threatened in bursts - Michael Tonge dragged wide when he should have forced Grant into action from 10 yards - it was Wednesday that engineered the better of the chances.

Sodje fired narrowly wide after intelligent play from Ronnie Wallwork, moments before Burton O'Brien hit a screamer that fizzed over Kenny's crossbar.

Then, right on half time, the Owls almost doubled their advantage. Glenn Whelan lobbed a looping ball into the danger zone flicked on by the towering Sodje, and Marcus Tudgay launched an acrobatic overhead kick that Kenny did well to push past his left post.

Referee Halsey then brought the opening period to a halt and it's a fair assumption that the Blades were grateful for the blast of the whistle.

United made a double substitution at half time in a bid to up the ante in the final third. Boss Bryan Robson brought on Keith Gillespie and Billy Sharp in place of Carney and Nick Montgomery as the team switched from 4-5-1 to a more conventional 4-4-2.

But the Owls carved the first chance of the second half; Whelan sidefooting from distance into Kenny's midriff straight after the resumption.

United promptly shot up the other end and only a stunning Grant save kept the visitors at bay. Substitute Sharp hit a rasping effort on the turn that looped high from the sliding foot of Tommy Spurr and Grant stretched every sinew to tip the ball over the bar.

Then it was Whelan's turn to come to Wednesday's rescue, clearing Hulse's header from the line after the striker climbed high from Lee Martin's corner.

Grant expertly claimed a hanging Martin cross as the rejuvanated Blades continued to press but Wednesday were in the mood and defended doggedly to hang on to their slender lead.

Sodje was forced off on the hour and Brian Laws introduced Clarke into the Owls attack. The big frontman's first contribution was to force a corner that resulted in another flag kick but both set pieces yielded little joy for Wednesday.

Clarke found space moments later but could only scuff a tame shot straight into the grateful arms of Kenny from 20 yards.

Sharp had the ball in the back of the net on 75 minutes but the referee's assistant had already flagged for offside.

And a minute later, the ball was in the back of United's net as Wednesday doubled their lead. Clarke's flick-on landed to Tudgay, who turned on the proverbial sixpence to bury his shot past Kenny in front of an ecstatic Kop.

With the Blades' confidence on the wane, Clarke could and should have made it three but fired wide following good work down the right from Whelan.

The balance of possession was pretty equal as the clock ticked down but try as they might, the Blades just could not penetrate a solid Owls rearguard. 

Wednesday boss Laws responded to the chants of the Kop and his final wave on 90 minutes signalled a massive derby win.

SWFC: Grant, Bullen, Hinds, Beevers, Spurr, Johnson (Small 79), Whelan, Wallwork, O'Brien, Sodje (Clarke 61), Tudgay

Unused subs: Wood,  Burton, Watson

SUFC: Kenny, Geary, Kilgallon, Bromby, Montgomery, Tonge, Speed, Carney (Sharp 45) (Gillespie 45), Armstrong, Hulse, Martin

Unused subs: Naysmith, Stead, Ehiogu

Referee: Mark Halsey

Attendance: 30, 486