Wednesday made it seven games without a win after allowing Middlesbrough to bounce back from a goal down in a 2-1 home defeat.
Ross Wallace fired the injury-hit Owls ahead on the half-hour mark but Boro had created their fair share of openings at the other end in the first half and the outcome of the game was largely affected by a two-minute spell after the break.
On 70 minutes, Joe Wildsmith pulled off an excellent save from Grant Leadbitter’s spot kick after Patrick Bamford went down under a challenge from Jacob Butterfield.
However, seconds later Boro were level when the diving Wildsmith could only push Johnny Howson’s low long-range effort upwards and into the roof of the net.
The Owls had rarely threatened after the interval while Boro continued to look dangerous as an attacking outfit and, seven minutes from time, Ryan Shotton rose almost unmarked to head home the visitors’ winner.
This third successive defeat leaves us in 15th place, eight points off the bottom three and a distant 11 behind Aston Villa in the final play-off place.
Wildsmith; Palmer, Venancio, van Aken, Pudil (Joao 81); Wallace (Butterfield 65), Jones, Hutchinson, Reach; Hooper, Nuhiu. Substitutes: Dawson, Matias, Baker, Abdi.