Newcastle hitman Shola Ameobi continued his purple patch in front of goal to down the Owls at St James' Park on Wednesday.

Ameobi notched a hat-trick to see off Reading last Saturday and the Toon man was on target again to settle an entertaining Championship contest.

The big striker drilled home early in the first half to score what proved the only goal of a game that Newcastle edged. Wednesday had only the odd chance to restore parity but failed to penetrate a sturdy Magpies backline that never truly looked in danger of conceding.

Brian Laws stuck with the same starting line-up that posted a point at Peterborough on Saturday whilst welcoming back Francis Jeffers to the bench after the striker missed the Posh trip with an ankle knock.

Jermaine Johnson and Marcus Tudgay spearheaded the Owls attack and the former almost broke free down the middle inside seven minutes but Steven Taylor covered well to deny the Jamaican international a clear sight on goal.

Wednesday made positive moves forward moments later when Sean McAllister blazed over the bar eight yards out, albeit under pressure from two defenders and Toon keeper Steven Taylor.

Play went straight up the other end and the \Owls survived a Newcastle penalty shout on the quarter of an hour mark. Richard Wood blocked Andy Carroll's cross in the chest area but referee Phil Dowd waved away the appeals from the home side.

The Magpies were undaunted, though, and duly opened the scoring just a minute later. In-form striker Ameobi took control of a hopeful ball over the top and composed himself before expertly guiding a low strike past Lee Grant at the near post.

Newcastle continued to gain the upper hand, with the front pairing of Ameobi and Carroll looking lively and threatening. On the few occasions Wednesday did venture into the final third, the home defence looked comfortable and assured, save one questionable challenge from behind by Taylor on Johnson that might have earned the Owls a penalty.

Wednesday enjoyed more possession towards the back end of the first half and started to grow in confidence but it was still Newcastle that looked more likely to score next. Ameobi brought the best out of Grant with a glancing header that was destined for the top corner until the Wednesday keeper - making his 100^th appearance for SWFC - leapt to pluck the ball into his grasp.

Wood tangled with Carroll in the box ten minutes before the interval but once more the referee was having none of it, much to the displeasure of a partisan home crowd.

The Owls needed to show more in the second half but it was Newcastle that started on the front foot, twice almost doubling their lead inside a minute. First Ryan Taylor lined up a free kick from distance and launched a curling drive that had Grant diving high to his left to tip wide for a corner. Then the ball then fell kindly again to Taylor from the flag kick and his rasping 20-yard effort whistled narrowly over the crossbar.

But Wednesday again began to find their feet, playing a neat passing game that gleaned plenty of possession, particularly in midfield. Chances were still hard to come by, although when they did pose a more serious threat, Harper intervened. Michael Gray aimed a bullet free kick towards the top corner but the Magpies keeper produced a spectacular save to deny the former Sunderland man.

Laws made a double substitution with 23 minutes to go in a bid to increase his attacking options. Etienne Esajas replaced Sean McAllister while north-easterner Tommy Miller came on for Gray. And Miller's first contribution saw him go into the book for a late challenge on Jonas Gutierrez.

Francis Jeffers entered the fray on 81 minutes and almost carved a way through for Wednesday. The striker took control of Tommy Spurr's cross into the danger zone and found space to line up a shot, but Harper was down quickly to save and ensure the hosts extended their productive start to life in the Championship.

Newcastle: Harper, Coloccini, Enrique, Taylor, Nolan, Simpson, Taylor (Guthrie 90), Smith, Gutierrez, Ameobi (Ranger 88), Carroll (Xisco 58)

Unused substitutes: Krul, Geremi, Lualua, Kadar

Owls: Grant, Buxton, Purse, Wood, Spurr, McAllister (Esajas 73), Potter, O'Connor (Jeffers 81), Gray (Miller 73), Johnson, Tudgay

Unused substitutes: O'Donnell, Simek, Hinds, Beevers

Referee: Phil Dowd

Attendance: 43,904