Wednesday missed a great opportunity to gain more ground on our relegation rivals when two goals in the final 15 minutes sent us to a 2-1 defeat to Cardiff after dominating for most of the game.
With fellow strugglers Rotherham, QPR and Huddersfield all losing and Stoke and Millwall playing out a goalless draw, hopes of another win in our revival under Danny Rohl disappeared in those closing stages, leaving us still six points from safety.
It was very much a case of Wednesday failing to turn our territorial advantage into more than one goal before Cardiff capitalised on poor defending to score two scrappy efforts from just three shots on target.
Our first opening fell to Bailey Cadamarteri on 12 minutes when he turned and shot from 12 yards, only for it to hit Anthony Musaba and then be cleared.
However, we took the lead just before the half-hour mark with Musaba continuing his goalscoring streak and in spectacular fashion.
Marvin Johnson fed him down the left and he put defender Dimitrios Goutas on his backside as he cut back inside before firing high into the net from inside the box.
For their part, Cardiff caused few concerns in the opening 45 minutes and failed to register an effort on goal.
Cadamarteri, who had continued to catch the eye with his touch, pace and aggression in the first half, was soon testing keeper Jak Alnwick after the restart when he turned a Will Vaulks free kick into a first-time volley from the edge of the penalty area.
With the Owls still in the ascendancy, George Byers saw an effort blocked after good work by Callum Paterson and we went close to a second goal soon afterwards, Bannan setting Johnson free on the left but his low, angled shot was pushed away by Alnwick.
However, with Wednesday failing to get that second goal, there was always the danger that Cardiff might grab an unlikely equaliser and the moment we feared came on 74 minutes through sub Karlan Grant … and the unfortunate Akin Famewo.
We were caught out on a break down our left-hand side and when Grant sent the ball low into the box it flicked off the leg of Famewo and into the far corner of the net.
Wednesday were close to regaining the lead eight minutes later when Bannan sent Cadamarteri through and he cut into the penalty area, only to see Alnwick save again for the visitors.
Ashley Fletcher then sent a header narrowly wide and, to add insult to injury, Cardiff somehow prised a winner two minutes from the end of normal time.
Dawson failed to hold onto a low shot from Ollie Tanner, Kion Tete was first to the loose ball and when he turned it back towards goal it deflected off the keeper and into the path of the retreating Famewo who could only help it into his own net from almost on the line.
There was still time Wednesday to have two penalty appeals turned down while Marvin Johnson shot just wide to leave Danny Rohl’s side with nothing to show from an afternoon that promised so much until the closing stages.
Dawson, Palmer (Valentin 86), Diaby (Bernard 86), Famewo, Johnson, Bannan, Vaulks (Gregory 90), Byers (Fletcher 86), Paterson, Musaba (Gassama 72), Cadamarteri. Unused subs: Vasquez, Ihiekwe, Bakinson, Phuthi. Attendance: 26,009.