A late double-salvo earned three points for Cardiff at Hillsborough despite Wednesday spending much of the game in the driving seat.
The Owls were dominant throughout the first half and most of the second, but the away side took advantage of the latter stages to cancel out Anthony Musaba’s 28-minute opener.
A strike from Karlan Grant and unfortunate own goal by Akin Famewo left Wednesday scratching their heads as to how they ended the pre-Christmas fixture with no points.
The hosts had their tails up from the off when Barry Bannan played an inch perfect ball to Marvin Johnson who squared across goal for Bailey Cadamarteri, but the forward’s shot was blocked.
Whilst chances were at a premium, Wednesday controlled possession and it was clear an opportunity would arrive for the home side before long.
And with 28 minutes on the clock, the Owls’ supremacy yielded the opener when Musaba notched his fifth goal of the season.
Johnson knocked a sublime through ball to the left of the area, finding the Dutchman who skillfully turned his man and fired high past Jak Alnwick.
Wednesday doubled down and chased a second but Will Vaulks’ free kick from 25 yards flew over the crossbar.
Cadamarteri was proving a nuisance and had the first opportunity of the second period.
Vaulks’ free kick to the edge of the box was volleyed neatly on target by the forward but Alnwick caught comfortably.
George Byers slotted a ball through to Callum Paterson, the Scot turned inside from the right and repaid the favour but the midfielder’s strike was blocked.
It was all Wednesday, and Bannan played Johnson through down the left before the winger fired across goal, with Alnwick tipping the effort wide.
Vaulks played a one-two with Bannan from a corner and smashed goalwards from the wide angle, but the ball whistled over.
But against the run of play the Bluebirds drew level on 74 minutes.
Grant was played through on the corner of the area by Yakou Meite and his shot was deflected past Dawson to restore parity.
Bannan saw a bending effort from the edge of the box caught by Alnwick before Grant had a volley blocked at the other end of the field.
The Owls made a triple change and new addition Ashley Fletcher saw a header from a corner drift narrowly wide of the near post, before Cardiff went in front.
Joe Ralls’ shot was deflected and saved by Dawson, but Kion Etete picked up the loose ball and his effort hit the Owls goalkeeper and Famewo before finding the net.
The referee waved away two Wednesday penalty appeals in quick succession before Johnson went close to drawing level with a powerful volley from the edge of the area.
But alas, a promising 80 minutes at Hillsborough was not enough and the Bluebirds headed back to Wales with all three points.
Wednesday | Dawson, Palmer (Valentin 86), Diaby (Bernard 86), Famewo, Johnson, Bannan, Vaulks, Byers (Fletcher 86), Paterson, Musaba (Gassama 72), Cadamarteri