Blackburn Rovers dropped into the relegation zone after losing 3-2 to fellow Championship strugglers Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.
Jermaine Johnson was the star of the show, netting a goal in each half to lift Wednesday out of the drop zone at the expense of Blackburn at Hillsborough Stadium.
Blackburn, who were looking to snap an eight-game winless run, made the perfect start when Scottish striker Jordan Rhodes converted a 12th-minute penalty.
The visitors' lead lasted just eight minutes as Johnson scored the first of his two goals before Leroy Lita gave Wednesday the advantage with 10 minutes remaining in the opening half.
Scott Dann restored parity on 71 minutes but Johnson secured the points for Dave Jones' men, 12 minutes before the final whistle.
Blackburn are one point adrift of safety, although they have a game in hand, while Wednesday move three points clear.
Hull City consolidated second position and boosted their hopes of automatic promotion with a 1-0 win over struggling Middlesbrough.
Former Manchester United winger Robbie Brady struck the decisive blow courtesy of a 62nd-minute free-kick, a goal that condemned Boro to their sixth successive league match without a win.
Championship leaders Cardiff City moved a step closer to England's top flight following their goalless draw at promotion rivals Watford.
Both sides had opportunities to earn maximum points but respective goalkeepers David Marshall and Manuel Almunia kept the scores level.
Cardiff, who are looking to reach the Premier League for the first time in 51 years, are eight points clear at the summit with six games remaining, while Watford drop three points behind Hull in third.
Elsewhere on Saturday, Crystal Palace were held to a scoreless draw at home to lowly Barnsley.
Palace remains fourth in the standings following Nottingham Forest's 1-1 stalemate with Blackpool.
Leicester missed the chance to leapfrog Brighton into the top six after they could only record a 1-1 draw against Gus Poyet's team.
In other results, Charlton claimed a last-gasp 2-1 victory over manager-less Leeds at The Valley, Bolton swept aside Wolves 2-0, while Ipswich edged Derby 1-0.
Strugglers Huddersfield and Peterborough played out an entertaining 2-2 draw, while Millwall's Chris Taylor cancelled out Wesley Thomas' opener at St Andrews.
