Already-relegated Stockport gave their fans some welcome end-of-season cheer as they signed off their home campaign with victory over Sheffield Wednesday.

After falling behind to an early Alan Quinn strike, the Hatters responded well with a storming second-half display to notch up only their fifth win at Edgeley Park this season.

The result keeps alive the worry for Wednesday's own survival hopes but with Crewe only drawing against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, it would take a mammoth goal haul for the Owls to be deprived of First Division football next season.

Stockport player-boss Carlton Palmer was forced to watch from the sidelines through suspension after being sent off in the 3-1 defeat against Grimsby, but nonetheless the Hatters began brightly and threatened a breakthrough after just a minute when Luke Beckett flashed a shot wide.

But gradually it was the visitors who forced the pace and after eight minutes they were given the best possible start when Quinn curled home from the edge of the box.

Having had a powerful effort tipped round the post just five minutes earlier, the Irish winger cut inside to receive a pass from Gerald Sibon and gave goalkeeper Andy Dibble no chance with a deft finish.

But stung into life by that setback, the hosts hit back. Virtually from the kick-off Andrew Welsh surged down the left and when he flashed the ball back across the face of goal, Aaron Wilbraham was on hand to tap home the leveller.

With parity restored, both sides proceeded to trade blows and after Paul McLaren had drilled-right footed at the goalkeeper from 18 yards, Beckett fired another effort just wide for the hosts.

Midway through the half, Wednesday began to pick up the pace with Quinn continuing to cause problems with his pace from midfield.

But despite a spell of pressure in which Sibon and then Jon McCarthy should have done better from close range, the visitors could not add to their tally before the break.

The half-time interval seemed to do the home side good and the Hatters came out with greater purpose at the start of the second half.

Karim Fradin was beginning to orchestrate in midfield and having already had one dangerous cross blocked, when he floated in a left-wing centre five minutes after the break, Beckett was on hand to fire home from six yards.

Four minutes later, Wilbraham should have done better when he skewed woefully wide from the left-edge of the box, but the hosts were beginning to dominate the game.

After 66 minutes they were dealt a blow when Ali Gibb was forced off with an injury to be replaced by Kevin Ellison but that did little to halt the home side's charge.

Within nine minutes Ellison almost made an instant impact with a stinging left-footed pile-driver that slipped just wide of the post before soon after the same player fired close again from long-range.

With the final whistle looming the visitors mounted a late charge but in the final minute the Hatters wrapped up the points as Beckett fired home from Fradin's pass.

Teams:

Stockport Dibble, Hardiker (Briggs 45), Clare, Challinor, Clark, Gibb (Ellison 67), Fradin, McLachlan, Welsh, Beckett, Wilbraham.

Subs Not Used: Spencer, Woodthorpe, Byrne.

Booked: Clark.

Goals: Wilbraham 10, Beckett 51, 90.

Sheff Wed Pressman, Geary, Broomes, Maddix, Burrows, McCarthy (Morrison 61), Haslam (Donnelly 61), McLaren (Gallacher 84), Quinn, Sibon, Kuqi.

Subs Not Used: Westwood, Siddall.

Booked: McLaren, Maddix, Burrows.

Goals: Quinn 9.

Att: 8,706

Ref: M Halsey (Welwyn Garden City).