Darren Potter scored on his debut and Francis Jeffers struck his first goal in more than a year as Sheffield Wednesday made it another miserable afternoon for Coca-Cola Championship strugglers Charlton.

Potter, drafted in on loan this week from Wolves until the end of the season, thumped home a low 25-yard shot 16 minutes into his Owls debut. He also hit the crossbar with a late free-kick.

Marcus Tudgay marked his return to Wednesday's starting line-up by heading his eighth goal of the season seven minutes before the break and Jeffers fired in from an almost impossible angle in the second half.

Charlton got a late consolation through Matthew Spring, but Tudgay had the last word as he dispatched a penalty in stoppage time to secure Brian Laws' side their first league win in six matches.

The visitors, boosted by their midweek FA Cup replay win at Norwich, were left to flounder on their return to league action.

They have not won in the Championship since October 18, a lousy 18-match run which has left them at the bottom of the table.

A bumper crowd of 28,766 turned out to mark the Owls' first home game under new chairman Lee Strafford and chief executive Nick Parker, recently appointed to the club's board to oversee a takeover before a March 31 deadline.

And Wednesday's biggest win since the opening-day victory over Burnley has lifted them into the top half of the table.

James O'Connor and Tudgay returned for Wednesday and Potter was the third change from the side which drew at Ipswich last week.

Tom Soares made his debut for Charlton following his loan switch from Stoke, while Graeme Murty and Spring were both recalled.

Wednesday made the brighter start against the struggling Londoners and had their first effort on goal in the ninth minute when Jermaine Johnson's shot was held by goalkeeper Darren Randolph.

But the home side broke the deadlock in fine style in the 16th minute when O'Connor found space on the right and squared the ball for new boy Potter, who drilled his shot into the bottom corner.

Randolph denied Johnson again and did even better to parry an effort from Jeffers, who went close to scoring against one of his former clubs, before Wednesday doubled their lead.

Michael Gray, on loan from Wolves, sent over a fine cross from the right and Tudgay planted a header beyond Randolph into the bottom corner.

Charlton's woes continued after the break when the injured Murty was replaced by Yassin Moutaouakil, who blasted a shot from 12 yards over the crossbar soon after.

The Addicks were punished for that miss in the 63rd minute when Tudgay sent Jeffers through on goal.

The former Charlton striker rounded Randolph and swivelled to turn the ball home from an acute angle for his first goal since New Year's Day 2008.

Spring thumped home a fine 25-yard shot into the top corner in the 86th minute, but only a superb double save from Randolph denied Gray his first goal for the Owls.

In injury time, Tudgay picked himself up to convert from the spot after Grant Basey's foul in the area.

Teams:

Sheff Wed Grant, Buxton, Beevers, Wood, Spurr, Johnson (Small 64), O'Connor, Potter (McAllister 84), Gray,Tudgay, Jeffers (Boden 74).

Subs Not Used: Hinds, Modest.

Booked: Johnson, Wood, Jeffers, Boden.

Goals: Potter 16, Tudgay 38, Jeffers 63, Tudgay 90 pen.

Charlton Randolph, Murty (Moutaouakil 54), Hudson, Fortune, Basey, Bailey, Shelvey (Dickson 68), Spring, Sam,Soares (Holland 68), Gray.

Subs Not Used: Elliot, Todorov.

Booked: Spring, Randolph.

Goals: Spring 86.

Att: 28,766

Ref: Darren Deadman (Cambridgeshire).