NEIL Warnock described Franck Songo'o's form at Crystal Palace as "hot and cold" and could have been talking about Wednesday's finishing.

In front of goal on Saturday the Owls fluctuated as markedly as the weather, which brought sunshine and snow to Hillsborough before home spirits were chilled by an equaliser in a final blizzard.

Wednesday, with ex-Selhurst Park loan winger Songo'o doing his bit against his former club, scored two splendid goals but paid dearly for missing easier chances.

That's the simple reason why they ended up with only a point instead of the three that would have taken them up to 18th in the table, ahead of Barnsley on goal difference.

It is so maddening: the Owls will kick themselves for not wrapping up a win of, say, 3-1.

Yet it is also difficult to be too hard on players, with good performances right through the side contributing to the team's most entertaining and creative show in weeks.

It was also encouraging that Wednesday could outplay a team who have capable players and play-off ambitions.

Warnock saw nothing to change his opinion that the Owls can stay up. Brian Laws is unswerving in his belief that his team are getting there and will amass the points they need if they build on their current form.

An interesting new strike partnership supplied a certain freshness and could provide an extra spur.

Ben Sahar is quick and makes intelligent runs; some of Deon Burton's link play was first-class.

On many occasions this season Wednesday have rarely looked like scoring during 90 minutes; this time they DID look like scoring. The build-up and the final ball were there, and at times it was just the killer touch that was missing. Find that and Championship safety will not be a problem.

Sahar comes across as a cool 18-year-old who will not be deflated by his bad miss. He sidefooted well wide from a fine ball by Richard Hinds and wasted the opportunity to hand the Owls a potentially impregnable lead.

He reflected: "I had one or two chances. They didn't go in. Hopefully next time I'll score other goals ... Now we have to look forward to the next game.

"I want to be on the pitch because I know I have quality to hurt these teams. I showed that.

"I'm happy here. I like Brian Laws because he has given me the chance to play though I am young. I want to repay him with more goals.

"I'm sure we are going to get more points in the next games. We are playing better and we were the better team against Palace."

Sahar showed why Laws signed him from Chelsea when he tucked away the Owls' first goal to crown an exceptional move.

Songo'o took possession on the edge of the Wednesday box, ran a few yards and played the ball up to the halfway line to Sahar.

The teenager sprayed a pass out right to Burton and ran for a lovely return ball to take a neat touch on the edge of the box and then plant his shot into the bottom corner.

That build-up was among the best that we have seen from the team this season - and the equaliser was one of the best by a visiting side, with Ben Watson's 25-yard free-kick struck with power and swerve into the top corner.

It was enthralling contest. Clinton Morrison and Sean McAllister both hit the bar; Watson went close; Lee Grant pulled off an extraordinary reaction stop from a Clint Hill header; Burton might have headed home a Tommy Spurr cross at the near post and Wednesday could have had penalty for a suspicious challenge by Matt Lawrence on Graham Kavanagh.
And that was just the first half.

The second saw some incisive attacking stuff from Wednesday and a series of Palace escapes.

Keeper Julian Speroni had trouble with a shot of stunning power from Wade Small, who soon afterwards miscued horribly when in an inviting position.

Burton, from a Kavanagh corner, and Kavanagh, from and a Songo'o chip, should have scored but made the list of missed chances grow.

But a fabulous finish by Small - a shot smashed into the far corner from a tight angle after a fine pass by Burton - rewarded the Owls' second-half dominance, which could have been strengthened as Sahar fired a half-chance over the top and, in the 82nd minute, sidefooted tamely wide.

There was high anxiety for Wednesday fans in the last few minutes as Palace threw men forward, and worst fears were confirmed when Lawrence lobbed the equaliser in the last of three added minutes.

It was reminiscent of other late stunners, for example Palace's last-ditch winner at Selhurst Park and West Brom's injury-time decider.

On the whole, however, the Owls' performance gives cause for optimism.

There was some compelling stuff at the back - particularly from Mark Beevers - and some impressive work in midfield and up front.

Although Warnock homed in on missed chances for his team and some "poor" defending, even he had to admit that Wednesday played some "good football" and had opportunities to kill off the game.

Laws looked back on some of the positives: " Burton and Sahar played exceptionally well.

"The two centre-halves couldn't handle them. Their movement and link-up play were good," he said.

"McAllister has forged a midfield partnership with Kavanagh; over the last few games they have been very good.

"James Scowcroft got the better of our centre-halves in the first half but in the second they came out of top, and Beevers was excellent."
Warnock joked that Songo'o got the better of left-back Clint Hill by dazzling him with his yellow boots.

It wasn't quite a dazzling display by Wednesday - the late equaliser took the shine off it - but some sunshine is breaking through the Hillsborough clouds.

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