Darren Moore hailed the impact of substitute Michael Smith after the striker fired Wednesday into the third round of the Emirates FA Cup.
Smith came off the bench to net a late brace and end the cup interest of Mansfield, who gave the Owls a scare at Hillsborough.
George Lapslie sent his side into an early lead before Smith took centre stage and guide Wednesday into round three.
Moore said: “Michael Smith is a game changer today. The quality showed at the end of it, and that’s what Michael is. He was in the right place at the right time and that’s what quality strikers do.
“Credit as well to Marvin because those deliveries were pinpoint and that’s the kind of service strikers thrive on.
“I didn’t really want to put some of the substitutes on today but I felt I had to because of the way the game was going.
“The first goal in particular was first class, the highest quality, and it’s that quality that got us through.”
In the bigger picture, Moore was pleased with the minutes into players who were in need of game-time.
The manager shuffled his pack for the cup contest and added:
“Some players needed those minutes and they will benefit from that immensely when we go again in the league.
“It’s not easy to come straight into the team and make an immediate impression, the important thing is the time on the pitch.
“This was never going to be an easy game, Mansfield came here to play their football and scored an early goal to give them that platform.
“But we forced them further and further back and in the end that quality told and we got the job done.”