The Owls’ Championship status is hanging by a thread following a goalless draw with Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough.
Wednesday remain heavily reliant on results elsewhere, whilst nothing but a win at Derby next Saturday would suffice even if those results are favourable.
They have Keiren Westwood to thank for the prospect of a Pride Park shootout as the Irishman saved a Lewis Grabban penalty to hand his side a lifeline.
But the hosts could not capitalise and completed the final home game of the season with next term’s status still not determined.
Possession was relatively even in the early throes, with any real openings at a premium.
Kadeem Harris fashioned one chance for himself around the 15-minute mark but shot straight into the midriff of Brice Samba.
Almost all of the play unfolded in the middle third of the pitch and for all the probing by both teams there was no end product to speak of.
Forest had to wait until the cusp of half time to create, when Filip Krovinovic ghosted in at the far post to plant a Cafu cross wide, before the Midlanders missed a golden chance to take the lead.
Westwood was adjudged to have brought down Anthony Knockaert just inside the box and the horizon looked bleak for Wednesday as Grabban stepped up.
But Westwood atoned in superb fashion to spring across his goal and turn Grabban’s penalty wide, which proved the only talking point of a tepid first half.
Despite that setback, Forest began brightly after the break and Grabban, himself looking to make amends, slotted wide from a tight angle.
The Owls crept back into the contest and Harris had a fierce effort charged down by Joe Worrall before substitute Jordan Rhodes aimed a header straight into the grateful arms of Samba.
Josh Windass delivered a hanging ball that was inches too high for Rhodes, who couldn’t get the right purchase on his header that fell the wrong side of the post.
But Windass certainly did on 72 minutes when a stunning Samba save denied Wednesday the crucial breakthrough, diving low at his near post to somehow divert over the bar.
James Garner turned to screw off target with the goal gaping in the closing stages before Jordan Rhodes and Adam Reach missed half chances that at the other end.
And that was about as good as it got for the Owls, who endured another afternoon of frustration and must now rely on both Rotherham and Derby dropping points to take their basement battle to the last.
Wednesday: Westwood, Paterson, Palmer, Hutchinson, Börner, Pelupessy, Bannan, Reach, Harris, Green (Rhodes 56), Windass