The Owls slipped at home for the eighth time this season - as Ipswich sealed their maiden away win.

And it was a former Wednesday player who did the damage. Ex-Owl Alan Quinn was the man of the moment, scoring one and creating another for Alan Lee to send the visitors back to Suffolk with all three points.

Marcus Tudgay's equalising goal seemed to give the Owls the platform on which to build but with a clearly inspired Quinn at the hub of the action, SWFC emerged bruised and beaten.

Wednesday made three changes from the side that lost at Wolves in midweek. New loan recruits Enoch Showunmi and Graham Kavanagh were handed instant starts by Brian Laws, who recalled Burton O'Brien to the engine room in place of Wade Small.

After a low key start, the game exploded into life on four minutes as Quinn made a dramatic impact on his return to Hillsborough. The midfielder, signed by Ipswich in the January transfer window, was loitering on the edge of the area and took a neat Jonathan Walters pullback in his stride before drilling a peach of a shot past Lee Grant and high into the net.

Quinn broke free four minutes later with the aid of a deflection from the referee and bore down on goal but Jermaine Johnson tracked back to deny the Irishman with a last-ditch tackle.

Johnson then sprinted clear of the Town defence at the other end and struck a crisp, angled effort that was deflected onto and over the crossbar by Dan Harding. And from the resulting corner, the Owls drew level.

O'Brien swung over the flag kick that eventually found its way to birthday boy Tudgay a yard inside the box and the in-form striker buried a low, left-footed drive that gave debutant keeper Stephen Bywater no chance.

In an open contest, Pablo Counago should have done better when he found space inside the Wednesday penalty area but the Spaniard hit high over the bar and into the Kop.

On 21 minutes, the visitors again came close to getting a second and Quinn played a central role once more, picking out new boy David Norris at the far post with a hanging cross but the former Plymouth schemer could only head wide of Grant with the goal gaping.

Johnson found space down the right flank to advance on Bywater but was soon swamped by a clutch of defenders. The winger's raid did earn a corner, though, from which Tudgay rose to head straight at the Ipswich keeper.

The game then fell flat towards the latter stages of the half, one shot from Tommy Miller aside that was safely smothered by Grant.

Wednesday came out for the second period with more purpose and Showunmi opened his stride to beat Alex Bruce down the right but his low cross found only Bywater.

Two corners in as many minutes followed for the Owls but neither threatened the Tractor Boys' defence.

The hosts continued to enjoy the lion's share of possession, albeit without creating clear cut chances.

Johnson picked up a miscued clearance from Bywater and drilled a daisycutter across goal and the onrushing Tudgay missed by inches at the back post.

Ipswich won two quickfire corners midway through the half and from the second, the visitors stole into the lead.

Skipper Jason De Vos launched a teasing cross to the far post that Quinn headed into the danger zone for substitute Lee to hook home from eight yards.

A minute later, Grant was fortunate to escape punishment when Quinn almost capitalised on a slip from the Owls keeper. After Quinn tried to round Grant three times, the Owls were spared when Richard Hinds finally deflected over for a corner.

O'Brien raced forward to fire a shot that Bywater comfortably saved and Tommy Spurr hit an angled drive over the bar in the closing minutes but Ipswich held firm to confirm their first travelling triumph of the term so far.

Owls: Grant; Bullen, Hinds, Beevers, Spurr; Johnson (Burton 82), Kavanagh, Wallwork (Small 58), O'Brien, Showunmi (Clarke 76), Tudgay

Unused subs: Gilbert, Wood

Ipswich: Bywater, Bruce, Harding, De Vos, Wright; Norris, Miller, Quinn (Haynes 85), Garvan (Sumulikoski 77); Walters, Counago (Lee 65)

Unused subs: Colgan, Naylor

Referee: Mr C. Webster

Attendance: 19,092