Sheffield Wednesday went down to their first home defeat of the 2009/10 campaign as they lost 3-1 to high-flying Middlesbrough on Tuesday.

Luke Varney gave the Owls the ideal start with an early scorcher but Boro hit back through a Darren Purse own goal in the first half and strikes by Jeremie Aliadiere and Adam Johnson after the break.

And it was all-round night of gloom for Wednesday as returning defender Mark Beevers was stretchered off with a knee injury following a collision with his own goalkeeper Lee Grant.

Beevers was making his first Championship start of the new season and was composed and assured before his night was ruined a minute before half time.

Beevers in for the injured Richard Wood was the only change from the team that posted a point against Nottingham Forest on Saturday. Elsewhere, it was as you were as Brian Laws' side sought their second home win of the season.

And the Owls set out on exactly the right track by doing to Boro inside two minutes what Forest did to them at the weekend.

There seemed little on for Varney when he chased Darren Pottter's ball down the left flank. But the loanee striker cut inside to beat Seb Hines before dashing into the box and unleashing an unstoppable drive that bounced into the back of the net via the underside of the crossbar.

It was the perfect start for Wednesday and the shot in the arm required following the below par display against Forest.

But Boro were undaunted and after slowly establishing their passing game drew level on 18 minutes.

Top-scorer Johnson crossed from the right and the ball was deflected into his own goal by the unfortunate Purse.

Now it was the visitors on top and Aliadiere should have done better with a headed chance comfortably claimed by Grant when the former Arsenal man found space in the danger zone.

The Owls responded with Tommy Miller drilling wide after a goalmouth scramble before both sides had goals ruled out for marginal but correct offsides - Potter for Wednesday and Johnson for Boro.

Dangerman Johnson curled an outswinger wide five minutes before half time as Middlesbrough headed into the break in the ascendancy without having taken the lead that perhaps their enterprise deserved.

Wednesday, meanwhile, suffered a blow right on the whistle when Beevers succumbed to injury.

The Owls' woes only worsened just after the break. Marvin Emnes sent Aliadiere free inside the box in the 49^th minute and the striker blasted a high shot into the roof of Grant's net

Hines almost made it two in as many minutes for the Teessiders but for a full length save from Grant following a Boro corner.

Wednesday came back into the game as Boro seemed content to sit back and defend their lead. But for all the Owls' increased amount of possession, goalkeeper Danny Coyne remained largely a spectator.

Laws introduced Leon Clarke for his first action of the season but the hosts struggled to break down a well-drilled Boro rearguard.

And to rub salt into the wound on a miserable night for the Owls, Gareth Southgate's side promptly extended their lead with five minutes to go.

Johnson danced around Lewis Buxton a yard inside the penalty area and drilled a low shot across Grant that sent the Owls tumbling and continued Boro's excellent start to life in the Championship.

Owls: Grant, Buxton, Spurr, Purse, Beevers (Hinds 45), Johnson, Potter, Miller (McAllister 72), Gray (Clarke 72), Tudgay, Varney

Unused substitutes: O'Donnell, Simek, Esajas, Sodje

Middlesbrough: Coyne, McMahon (St Ledger 83), Hines, Wheater, Grounds, O'Neil (Hoyte 90), Williams, Arca, Johnson, Aliadiere, Emnes (Lita 72)

Unused substitutes: Jones, Yeates, Bennett, Franks

Referee: Anthony Bates

Attendance: 21,722