Sheff Weds (0) 1 Arsenal (0) 0 FT Degryse 61
Belgian play-maker Marc Degryse took Sheffield Wednesday a step closer to FA Carling Premiership safety by clinching victory over European challengers Arsenal at Hillsborough.
Wednesday, with only two wins from their last eight outings, desperately needed a victory to avoid being dragged into the pack of clubs scrambling to avoid the drop.
And Degryse, a £1.5million summer signing from Anderlecht, provided the crucial 61st minute winner to claim the vital points and dent Arsenal's hopes of UEFA Cup qualification.
The Gunners, whose only defeat in the last nine matches was a 1-0 setback at title-chasing Manchester United, began brightly and threatened the wrap up victory in the opening 20 minutes.
Their crisp passing contrasted starkly with dis-jointed Wednesday, still reeling from their comprehensive 3-1 Good Friday defeat at Middlesbrough, and it took less than a minute to open up the Owls defence, Glenn Helder teeing up Ian Wright but his shot flew off target.
Twice Sheffield Wednesday keeper Kevin Pressman kept his side in the game, foiling Dennis Bergkamp and then producing a brilliant save to push Paul Merson's powerful volley over the bar.
But gradually Wednesday, with Degryse at the heart of all their promising moves, began to put the Arsenal defence still without Tony Adams and also missing injury victim Tony Winterburn under pressure.
Degryse set up David Hirst but his shot flew straight at David Seaman and captain Peter Atherton rattled the bar.
Lee Dixon was forced to clear off the line from Mark Pembridge after Seaman could only parry Guy Whittingham's drive.
Seaman also came to Arsenal's rescue to deny Degryse after he was put through by John Sheridan's clever pass, racing off his line to smother before the Belgian could steady himself for the shot.
Twice Degryse went close in the opening minutes of the second half while Hirst woefully volleyed over the bar from eight yards after meeting the Belgian's cross.
Arsenal now looked favourites to take the points with David Platt twice freeing Bergkamp, whose finishing was inferior to Pressman's reflexes.
But, just as the Gunners threatened to step up a gear, Degryse linked with Whittingham down the right to snatch the winner.
Whittingham cut inside from the flank and, after his route to goal was blocked by Arsenal's defence, cleverly found Degryse on the edge of the box and his low drive out-paced Seaman's dive into the bottom corner.
The Belgian could have settled the issue with eight minutes remaining when Regi Blinker freed him inside the box but again Seaman stood firm to block the opportunity.
Sheff Weds: Pressman, Atherton, Pembridge, Hirst (Kovacevic, 84), Sheridan, Degryse, Blinker (Waddle, 83), Walker, Whittingham, Newsome, Briscoe.
Subs not used: Nicol.
Booked: Sheridan.
Arsenal: Seaman, Dixon, Platt, Wright, Merson, Bergkamp, Helder (Rose, 67), Linighan, Keown, Marshall, Hartson (Shaw, 67).
Subs not used: Hillier.
Booked: Marshall, Platt.
Attendance: 24,349.
Referee: S W Dunn (Bristol).
