WADE Elliott snatched a dramatic injury-time winner as Cherries put high-flying Sheffield Wednesday to the sword.

Sean O'Driscoll's side deservedly landed the spoils following a breathtaking second-half performance.

Cherries hit the woodwork no fewer than four times and also had a Garreth O'Connor effort ruled out for offside.

But O'Driscoll's never-say-die troops kept knocking at the door and finally found a way through when Elliott broke the deadlock in the dying seconds.

Defender Shaun Maher was restored to the Cherries starting line-up after Neil Young was ruled out due to an ankle injury, while Jason Tindall made a welcome return to the bench for O'Driscoll's side.

The Owls, who were roared on by a sizeable and vociferous travelling contingent on their first league visit to Dean Court, included dangerman Shefki Kuqi, a £1m signing from Stockport last year.

It was the visitors who carved out the first chance following an enterprising opening, although Terry Cooke's stooping header failed to trouble Neil Moss in the Cherries goal.

Cherries almost took the lead from their first attack when Garreth O'Connor's low drive from 25 yards had Wednesday goalkeeper Kevin Pressman beaten all ends up, only for the Irishman's effort to come crashing back off the post.

Adam Proudlock tested Moss with a fierce drive from the edge of the box after he had capitalised on an error by Marcus Browning, but the Cherries goalkeeper was more than equal to the former Wolves man's shot.

The woodwork again came to Wednesday's rescue when Browning's glancing header from O'Connor's free-kick clipped the top of the crossbar before Kuqi outstripped the Cherries defence and fired wide from a tight angle.

Pressman had another let-off when he spilled a stinging long-range effort from O'Connor, the Wednesday goalkeeper requiring treatment after taking a blow as James Hayter tried to net the follow-up.

Paul McLaren received the first yellow card of the game after fouling O'Connor on the half-hour, although Alan Quinn inexplicably escaped punishment after he had needlessly kicked out at Elliott minutes later.

Moss pouched a Paul Smith header following a Wednesday corner before Hayter's centre flashed across the face of the visitors' goalmouth with Steve Fletcher inches away from giving Cherries the lead.

Warren Cummings mounted a swift break after seizing on a stray pass from Proudlock and, after picking out O'Connor, the Dubliner fired narrowly wide after outwitting the Wednesday defence with some nifty footwork.

As an absorbing first half drew to a close, Cherries almost took the lead when Karl Broadhurst went within a whisker of heading home O'Connor's free-kick, the defender just failing to connect with his team-mate's excellent delivery.

Cherries were denied by the woodwork for a third time at the start of the second half as they looked to catch Wednesday napping following the half-time interval.

O'Connor found Elliott on the right flank with a magnificent crossfield pass before the tricky winger cut inside his marker and unleashed a left-foot effort which hit the inside of Pressman's right-hand post.

Pressman quickly got to his feet to save Hayter's headed follow-up and also had to be on his toes minutes later when Elliott again tried his luck from distance, his rising drive just clearing the crossbar.

Kuqi outjumped Maher to meet Quinn's cross as Wednesday looked to hit back, but Moss safely gathered the Finn's speculative header before Steve Fletcher followed McLaren into the referee's notebook for a foul.

Cherries had a cast-iron penalty turned down when O'Connor was cynically scythed down from behind by Cooke as he charged into the box in the 65th minute, but referee Clive Penton astonisingly allowed the game to continue.

And as Cherries piled forward in search of a goal, Steve Fletcher's volley cannoned off a defender and rolled out for a corner before Cummings was denied by the legs of Pressman after he had met Hayter's deep cross.

Cherries were convinced they had taken the lead eight minutes from time, but O'Connor's header was ruled out for offside.

The Irishman pounced to net from close range after Steve Fletcher's header from Broadhurst's deep centre had landed in his path via the post.

But as Cherries fans celebrated, referee Penton again angered the Dean Court faithful when he pointed for a free-kick.

There was no reprieve for the visitors deep into injury-time when Carl Fletcher threaded the ball into the path of Elliott who smashed a right-foot drive past Pressman to send the home fans into a frenzy.