Wednesday edged past Notts County at Hillsborough to successfully pass the first juncture of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy.

James O'Connor's early brace proved sufficient for victory, although Alan Irvine's men were made to work hard to hang on after Ben Davies' first half reply for County.

The Owls made four changes from the weekend rout at Hartlepool, with O'Connor, Daniel Jones, Clinton Morrison and Jon Otsemobor all starting the game.

And the hosts were off to a dream start as they scored with their first attack inside the second minute. Gary Teale floated an accurate cross to the back post, where Chris Sedgwick pulled back for O'Connor to drill into an empty net with ex-Owls goalkeeper Rob Burch stranded at his near post.



County were stung into life and John Spicer fired in a daisycutter that Nicky Weaver watched wide and Davies lashed a long ranger narrowly over the crossbar.

Marcus Tudgay then called Burch into action at the other end following a smart five-man move before a similar impressive pattern of play saw Wednesday double their lead on 14 minutes.

Darren Potter fed Otsemobor down the right and the defender's feed fell nicely into the path of the onrushing O'Connor, who buried hard and low past Burch to claim his second goal of the contest.



But County hit back in the 23^rd minute to halve the arrears after winning a free kick right on the angle of the penalty area. Up stepped the lively looking Davies, who curled a delightful effort into the bottom corner of Weaver's net.

Play reverted straight to Wednesday's way, though, and Tudgay might have done better from eight yards with a header from Teale's cross that Burch comfortably smothered.

Tudgay went close again on the half-hour mark with a fizzing drive from distance that only just cleared the bar as the Owls continued to ask most of the questions.

But the Magpies - who fought back from 3-0 down on Saturday to post a point at Bournemouth - showed more of the same spirit in refusing to roll over, as was evidenced when Mike Edwards sent in a thumping header that beat Weaver and alas the upright.

The Owls lost Chris Sedgwick to injury seven minutes before the break, with Tommy Miller entering the fray and that proved the last significant moment of an entertaining first half.

County needed to seize the initiative in the early exchanges of the second period and did so, albeit without causing any problems to the Wednesday rearguard.

Craig Short sent on Craig Westcarr to boost his side's attacking options but it was Wednesday that came within a lick of paint of extending their advantage.

Jones' free kick from the left was met with a powerful header from Tudgay but with Burch beaten all ends up, the ball struck the underside of the bar and bounced back into play.

Neil Mellor came on from the bench for Morrison but fellow substitute Westcarr almost made the next impression for County, stealing in at the last to get something on Davies' free kick but missing the target.

The second half generally lacked the spark of the first as Wednesday struggled to break down what was a more resolute Magpies defence.

But the Owls looked comfortable overall themselves at the back - until the threatening figure of Westcarr aimed a snapshot from 20 yards that forced Weaver into a flying save ten minutes from time.

Davies smashed a shot on the half turn into the side netting moments later as County rallied but there was to be no late equaliser for the visitors and Wednesday booked their place in round two.

Owls: Weaver, Purse, Tudgay, Jones, Potter, Beevers, O'Connor, Teale, Sedgwick (Miller 38), Morrison (Mellor 68), Otsemobor

Unused substitutes: Jameson, Buxton, Heffernan

Notts County: Burch, Edwards, Thompson, Smith (Pearce 81), Ravenhill, Davies, Chilvers, Hubbins (Westcarr 54), Jervis (Hawley 67), Spicer, Hartley

Unused substitutes: Grof, Lee

Attendance: 10,551