Matthew Lawrence's injury-time equaliser salvaged a point for Crystal Palace and left Sheffield Wednesday in Coca-Cola Championship relegation trouble after a 2-2 draw at Hillsborough.

Wade Small's second-half strike looked to have handed Wednesday victory and condemned Eagles boss Neil Warnock to a miserable return to the Steel City.

Teenage Chelsea striker Ben Sahar had put Wednesday ahead after 18 minutes before Ben Watson drew Crystal Palace level five minutes before the break.

Winger Small stuck in clinical fashion with 22 minutes remaining but Eagles defender Lawrence struck late on to ensure Warnock had the last laugh.

The Sheffield-born Palace boss spent seven-and-a-half years in charge of Wednesday's bitter rivals Sheffield United before he left Bramall Lane last May.

His Palace side looked most likely to penetrate during the opening exchanges and Clinton Morrison cracked a brilliant right-foot shot against the crossbar from 12 yards after just five minutes.

Five minutes later, however, Palace were thankful for the woodwork as midfielder Sean McAllister rifled a left-foot shot against the bar from 25 yards.

Palace midfielder Watson then drilled a shot wide before Wednesday opened the scoring in the 18th minute through Sahar.

The Israel international rifled in a left-foot strike from 12 yards on his first start for the Owls since arriving from Stamford Bridge.

Palace almost levelled within a minute as Clint Hill greeted Watson's right-wing corner with a firm header which forced Lee Grant to tip the ball around a post.

Wednesday went close to extending their lead in the 35th minute when Graham Kavanagh tested Eagles goalkeeper Julian Speroni with a 20-yard strike.

However, Palace drew level five minutes before the break in spectacular fashion.

Richard Wood fouled James Scowcroft 25 yards from goal and Watson stepped up to fire the ball into the top left-hand corner with a superb right-foot strike.

Small almost restored Wednesday's lead just after the break when he drilled in a left-footed strike from 25 yards which Speroni did well to tip around a post.

Watson then tested Grant from distance before Small missed a gilt-edge opportunity to score when he sliced a shot wide from 12 yards. However, he made no mistake in the 68th minute when he fired a right-footed shot into the top left-hand corner from six yards.

Wednesday had opportunities to find the net and Sahar drilled a shot wide from 18 yards. He then missed another chance with eight minutes remaining when he connected with a cross from Richard Hinds and fired wide from 12 yards.

Wednesday looked to have done enough to secure the points but Palace were level in injury-time when Lawrence lashed the ball home following a left-wing corner from Watson.

Teams:

Sheff Wed Grant, Hinds, Beevers, Wood, Spurr, Kavanagh,McAllister, Small (Showunmi 87), Songo'o, Sahar, Burton.

Subs Not Used: Burch, Watson, Bolder, O'Brien.

Booked: Small.

Goals: Sahar 18, Small 68.

Crystal Palace Speroni, Lawrence, Hill, Hudson, Fonte,Derry (Robinson 77), Soares (Danns 59), Watson,Scannell (Hughes 85), Morrison, Scowcroft.

Subs Not Used: Fletcher, Kudjodji.

Booked: Hill.

Goals: Watson 40, Lawrence 90.

Att: 19,875

Ref: Russell Booth (Nottinghamshire).