Sheffield United gained sweet revenge on Sheffield Wednesday in the 124th Steel City derby at Bramall Lane, but were made to sweat for a 3-2 win in a thrilling Coca-Cola Championship encounter.

Wednesday became the first Owls side to register a league derby double over the Blades in 95 years last season, but were put to the sword in the first half as the rampant Blades swarmed into a 3-0 lead through strikes from Jamie Ward, Darius Henderson and Lewis Buxton's own goal.

But Marcus Tudgay threw Wednesday a lifeline when he rifled the ball home at the start of the second half and substitute Etienne Esajas ensured a tense finale by arrowing a 25-yard free-kick into the bottom corner in the 65th minute.

Victory lifts the Blades up to fourth place in the table and leaves Brian Laws' Owls reflecting on a one-point return from their last three league matches in the space of six days.

More importantly, for now, United snatched back the bragging rights following a 1-0 reverse at Hillsborough last season followed by a 2-1 defeat on home soil in February.

Earlier in the day the Blades drafted Andrew Davies in on loan from Stoke in time to replace Matt Kilgallon, who has a chest infection, while the only other change to Blackwell's line-up saw Andy Taylor step in for Ryan France at left-back.

James O'Connor returned to the Owls midfield in place of Tommy Miller. Otherwise Brian Laws' side were unchanged.

Centre-half Davies was booked for a foul on Tudgay in the fourth minute and then forced Wednesday goalkeeper Lee Grant to tip his header from Keith Treacy's corner over the crossbar before Ward fired the Blades into a seventh-minute lead.

Home skipper Chris Morgan headed Treacy's corner down into the six-yard box and the little striker turned in a flash to shoot past Grant from five yards.

Blackwell's side doubled their lead in the 15th minute. The Owls defence only half-cleared from a free-kick and when Ched Evans arrowed the ball back into the penalty area, Henderson flicked out his left foot to divert the ball past the wrong-footed Grant.

Wednesday responded, but Blades goalkeeper Mark Bunn palmed Tudgay's header from Michael Gray's free-kick over the crossbar.

Goalscorer Ward was forced out of the action in the 33rd minute and later carried off on a stretcher

following Jermaine Johnson's challenge.

Ward was replaced by David Cotterill, while O'Connor was booked for his lunge on Nick Montgomery shortly after.

The visitors were then dealt a hammer blow three minutes from the interval.

Cotterill swept a deep cross into the area from the right and the hapless Buxton, with the big frame of Henderson on his shoulder, headed the ball into the top corner of his own net.

Esajas replaced Owls winger Johnson at half-time and soon after the restart the visitors pulled a goal back when Tudgay lashed a right-footed shot from just inside the area into the bottom corner.

Esajas then hauled the visitors to within one goal of an unlikely fightback after Richard Wood was penalised for his challenge on Cotterill 25 yards from goal, with the Dutchman crashing his free-kick into the bottom corner.

Grant denied the Blades a fourth goal when brilliantly palming away Henderson's header from Montgomery's free-kick and later pulled off an even better save to turn away Evans' thumping drive as the home side looked to add a fourth and kill the game in the closing stages.

Teams:

Sheff Utd Bunn, Walker, Morgan, Davies, Taylor,Treacy (Quinn 87), Montgomery, Harper, Ward (Cotterill 33),Evans, Henderson, Cotterill (France 90).

Subs Not Used: Bennett, Reid, Stewart, Little.

Booked: Davies, Montgomery, Henderson, Bunn, Cotterill, Morgan.

Goals: Ward 7, Henderson 15, Buxton 42 og.

Sheff Wed Grant, Buxton, Purse, Richard Wood, Spurr,Johnson (Esajas 46), Potter, O'Connor (Miller 78), Gray,Tudgay, Varney (Clarke 66).

Subs Not Used: O'Donnell, McAllister, Sodje, Simek.

Booked: O'Connor.

Goals: Tudgay 46, Esajas 65.

Att: 29,210

Ref: Alan Wiley (Staffordshire).