The archetype game of two halves could not separate Southampton and Wednesday in the third round of the Carabao Cup after 90 minutes – so penalties did and the Owls went down 6-5 when Alex McCarthy saved from Dominic Iorfa.
Josh Windass fired the visitors ahead in a one-sided opening 45 before Saints equalised right on the stroke of half time from the spot through James Ward-Prowse.
Southampton came out for the second period a different side and only some dogged defending and the woodwork prevented a winner.
Wednesday bossed their top tier opponents through much of an entertaining first half, and were well on top in terms of chances created.
A super through-ball from Tyreeq Bakinson sent Windass scampering in on goal and McCarthy was alert to stop an early opener.
The Saints keeper then denied Barry Bannan at his near post and it was certainly the Owls that looked the more threatening.
And that industry was rewarded on 24 minutes. Fisayo Dele-Bashiru powered forward and teed up Windass on the angle inside the area – the finish was emphatic and Wednesday led.
Southampton responded with their first real opportunity four minutes later and David Stockdale did well to acrobatically keep out Joe Aribo’s glancing header.
But the Owls came right back and Saints again needed McCarthy to intervene, this time to beat out a low Windass drive.
With Wednesday in the driving seat, though, Saints were handed and seized a lifeline in first half stoppage time.
Marvin Johnson clipped Mousse Djenepo in the box, the referee said yes, and Ward-Prowse smashed past Stockdale to level matters against the run of play.
The goal duly gave Southampton a huge boost and they looked a different proposition after the break.
Adam Armstrong slammed into the side-netting before an incredible passage of play just past the hour.
Substitute Theo Walcott had been on the pitch little more than a minute when he found himself right at the heart of the action.
First he picked up a misplaced pass in the area from Stockdale and stroked towards an empty net only for Michael Ihiekwe to clear off the line.
The ball then went straight back to Walcott and the outcome was repeated as Ihiekwe saved the day for the second time inside a matter of seconds.
Walcott looked dangerous and curled one shot narrowly wide of the far post before Romain Perraud fired over the top from range.
There was some brief respite for Wednesday in the closing stages but the South Coast side almost won it at the death when a quick free-kick saw Stuart Armstrong drill an angled rocket from 18 yards that shook the crossbar.
So to penalties the tie went, which in the final analysis was probably the right result over the course of an enthralling cup contest.
Both sides netted their initial five spot kicks but McCarthy provided the heroics during sudden death to send the home side into round four of the competition.
Wednesday: Stockdale, Iorfa, McGuinness, Ihiekwe, Johnson, Bannan, Bakinson (Vaulks 76), Dele-Bashiru, Paterson, Windass (James 76), Gregory