Ten-man Wednesday put up a gallant performance at Bristol City but went down 1-0 in the West Country.
Barry Bannan was sent off for denying a goalscoring opportunity 15 minutes before the break and the Owls faced an uphill battle for the second 45.
And just past the hour, Rob Dickie scored the winner to deny what would have been a worthy draw for Danny Rohl’s revitalised side.
After Tommy Conway smashed a snapshot just wide, the contest settled into an even affair up until the red card.
Wednesday gave as good as they got all over the pitch, fashioning their best chance of the first half when Anthony Musaba started and finished a swift move, glancing Reece James’ cross over the top.
Conway was City’s most threatening outlet, busy across the final third, while Djeidi Gassama – making his first league start – was likewise for Wednesday.
One lung-busting run down the middle had the Robins’ rearguard on the back foot and the Owls were sensing a breakthrough – until the turning point on 32 minutes when Bannan saw red.
The skipper was hunting down Jason Knight as the midfielder raced in on goal and clipped his heels on the edge of the box.
The referee reached to his pocket and Bannan headed off down the tunnel.
The resulting free kick was half cleared and Cameron Dawson was alert to scramble across his line and scoop George Tanner’s improvised shot on the turn to safety.
Wednesday made two changes at the interval and Will Vaulks came close to an instant impression, delivering an accurate corner from which Dominic Iorfa called Max O’Leary into action.
Following that scare, though, City were on the offensive. It was backs to the wall for the visitors and on 63 minutes, the Robins forced a way through.
Conway’s low feed took a fortunate nick off Vaulks into the path of Dickie, who slotted home from close range.
It might have been worse for the Owls as the hosts hit both posts in a remarkable passage of play.
Conway’s shot from 18 yards bounced off one upright and the follow-up from substitute Sam Bell cannoned off the other.
Then, from nowhere, Wednesday came within a whisker of salvaging a point. Vaulks’ set piece on the angle picked out Ashley Fletcher but O’Leary somehow kept out the striker’s flick.
Despite a final flurry it wasn’t to be for the Owls, who could count themselves unlucky overall but the shoots of recovery continue to show.
Wednesday: Dawson, Iorfa, Diaby, Bernard (Fletcher 83), James (Famewo 83), Paterson, Byers, Bannan (S/0 32), Gassama (Vaulks 46), Musaba (Johnson 83), Smith (Valentin 46)