Saturday's terrific result at Charlton was earned by a wholehearted show of spirit and endeavour.
Their box at times was as crowded as the London Underground but whether it was chucking themselves in the way of shots or beavering away all over the park it was 10 out of 10 for effort from the Owls.
Add to that two first-class goals from Wade Small and Marcus Tudgay and it was a successful recipe for a first away win of the season and a bit of a shock result.
Wednesday could easily have crumpled against the second-half onslaught that Charlton threw at them in an attempt to emulate last season's turnaround in this fixture.
But the Owls battled all the way, despite yet more disruption caused by injuries, and this time it was their turn to triumph after early adversity.
Players and fans can only be inspired by this sort of tenacity, and ponder evidence that the 6-0 debacle at Reading in the previous away game was more of a one-off than the manifestation of some profound flaw in attitude or ability.
Wednesday led the way in finishing. The fact that Charlton hit the post twice and missed a great chance to go into a 2-0 lead does not mean that the home side were unlucky; it means that three times they committed the sin of missing the target.
Small and Tudgay made no such mistake.
If anything, the Addicks were ahead in the fortune stakes.
Striker Luke Varney, scorer of the goal that put them ahead, should have been sent off instead of being booked in the 35th minute for kicking James O'Connor in response to a tackle by the midfielder.
Boss Brian Laws was "a little angry" over that inciden.
"Everybody saw Varney kick the player; the referee said he didn't kick him. It beggars belief," he said.
Addicks boss Alan Pardew, however, claimed: "I didn't really see it that well but my view is that Varney is an honest player and if the ref was there it was a decision he had to make."
Ten against 11 could have made it a bit easier for Wednesday in the second half, when in fact they came under intense pressure, and combated it with great fortitude.
Their closing down of opponents and throwing themselves in the way of shots meant that the home side were unable to create one clear-cut, close-range chance to match the eighth-minute one that centre-half
Linvoy Primus had headed against the post.
Charlton's early goal, stemming from a free-kick, was a scrappy one by Varney - a shot put through a couple of pairs of legs - and it should have been 2-0 soon afterwards when Varney hit the post and Andy Gray, volleyed the loose ball into the Owls fans behind the goal.
Wednesday are also helped by having an excellent keeper. Lee Grant, the saviour of the Ipswich game the previous Saturday, went on to do his bit again, with two athletic second-half saves, from Lloyd Sam and Darren Ambrose.
When the Owls were engaged in a battle, Laws did not want to change his team but he had to.
Jermaine Johnson took a hefty whack on his ankle when he getting in a shot. Deon Burton came on to take over as the lone striker in a 4-5-1 formation, and Tudgay was switched to midfield.
Small had an unfortunate end to his comeback when he felt his hamstring slightly again and had to be replaced by Etienne Esajas out wide.
Steve Watson, so influential with his power, energy and know-how in midfield, limped off with a groin injury and made way for Jimmy Smith.
Wednesday still managed to function as a unit and defended with organisation and resolve.
But fans pay mostly not to watch sweat and toil but to experience the excitement of magic moments and victory.
Laws talked about Small's goal as one worth a second look; he was right, there.
It looks even better in replay than it seemed on the day.
The winger was inside his own half when he picked up the ball, in the centre circle. His pace seemed to surprise Charlton as he set off down the middle, with at one point five opponents around him. Veering to the right, he burst between two of them on the edge of the box and finished with an unsaveable shot in off the far post.
The length of the run made it an exceptional goal, but Tudgay's was just as good in its own way, another self-made one, as he emerged from a crowd of players to come in from the left and pick his way past three opponents, before finishing clinically just inside the box - another shot to Nicky Weaver's right.
In the space of three minutes, the match had been transformed.
Laws spotlighted Tudgay as an example of the team's commitment.
"He's a striker and he finishes up playing centre midfield (after the injury-forced changes). That's shows what this club is all about," he said.
"When players are asked to play in different positions they get on with it and do their best.
"He epitomised the spirit in the camp."
CLICK ON THE GREEN PLAY BUTTON ABOVE TO SEE MATCH PICTURESWhat do you think? Post your comments below. READ MORE Blades Watch 08-09 - The Season So FarOwls Watch 08-09 - The Season So FarWatch Premiership highlights, international football, golf, tennis, darts and much moreFootball headlinesMore BladesMore OwlsMore SpireitesMore RoversMore RedsMore MillersMore Ice HockeyMore rugby leagueMore rugby unionMore boxingSports columnistsAll sport categoriesThe full article contains 1002 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
