Adam Reach smashed home an injury-time equaliser to keep Wednesday in sixth place after a poor display at Preston.
Reach pounced in the dying seconds, driving the loose ball home from eight yards in front of 5,000 Wednesday fans, in a performance that was a million miles away from the Boxing Day victory at Newcastle.
The Owls, missing the injured Fernando Forestieri, hardly posed a threat to the home side and it was no surprise when Preston took the lead on 77 minutes.
Jack Hunt allowed Callum Robinson to get behind him and his cross deflected off Sam Hutchinson into the far corner of the net.
Steven Fletcher caused the occasional threat up front but it was a lacklustre 90 minutes from Wednesday and it might have been two when former loanee Aiden McGeady saw his shot come back off the post.
Then, with defeat staring Wednesday in the face, Reach delivered the get out of jail card – his first goal for the club – which keeps us in that final play-off spot.