The contrast between the moods of both sets of fans before kick-off was understandably in stark contrast. For the 4,100 members of the Yellow Army gathered in the Leppings Lane End it was end-of-season party time, with balloons, airbeds, beachballs and various other inflatable items being thrown around to loud cheers.

For the massed ranks of Wednesday supporters around the other three sides of Hillsborough it was all about passionate support for the Owls and chewed nails, with the home side needing a win to be sure of securing their Championship status for next season.

Of course with Leicester City and Southampton below them in the table a draw or even a defeat might see Wednesday scrape though depending on other results, but as an almighty roar from a crowd of just under 37,000 greeted the emergence of the teams, there was only a win on the minds of players and fans alike.

Of course Norwich were out to spoil the party in Dion Dublin's last game in professional football. A massive cheer greeted the team news before kick-off which revealed the big man had been given a place in the starting line-up by Glenn Roeder.

Jamie Cureton was the striker to make way and was joined on the bench by schoolboy international 'keeper Declan Rudd, gaining some invaluable first squad experience.

The atmosphere was electric as the game got underway and the game's first half-chance arrived after only three minutes, Gary Doherty making a great volleyed interception to deny Burton as he threatened to latch on to Grant's massive goal-kick.

But after only nine minutes of the game the home fans were stunned into horrified silence as City took the lead through a goal of real quality.

Darren Huckerby received the ball on the half-way line in a wide left position and played the ball into the feet of Dion Dublin on the edge of the Wednesday box. Dublin laid it into the path of Huckerby with a sublime touch as he burst through on the overlap - and City's talismanic winger beat Grant with a powerful 16-yard drive into the far corner.

CELEBRATION - Huckerby gave City the lead

It was Huckerby's fifth goal of the season and a hammer blow for Wednesday - though their supporters soon raised the roof again in an effort to lift their team's spirits.

Within four minutes though they should have been two down - and only a poor decision by Matty Pattison spared them.

Ched Evans was sent haring clear on the left and burst into the Owls box with menace. But the young striker showed great awareness to pick out the arrival of Pattison unmarked at the far post, only for Pattison to elect to shoot back across the 'keeper and give Grant the chance to dive to his right and palm the ball away. A great save, but any effort towards the gaping spaces to the keeper's left and it would surely have been a second for City.

It proved to be a turning point as Wednesday weathered the storm -and their nerves - to claw their way back on to level terms in the 22nd minute.

It came in somewhat controversial circumstances as Deon Burton once again chased after a massive punt forward from Grant, this time in a one-on-one race with Jason Shackell. As Burton lined up to shoot Shackell slid in with what City fans felt was a superb tackle to rob him of the ball. But as Burton crashed to the deck referee Mark Clattenburg pointed to the spot, to the fury of the Norwich players.

Their protests were to no avail though as Burton stepped up to send Marshall the wrong way from the spot and the home fans into overdrive.

Clattenburg presumably thought the penalty was punishment enough for the offence as Shackell was not shown a card despite loud calls for him to be dismissed from the home faithful.

At the other end City still seemed to have the Wednesday rearguard at sixes and seven however and Pattison again got into a good position, this time Grant spilling the midfielder's drilled close-range effort and forcing Songo'o to hack the ball behind for a corner.

A huge cheer came from the home crowd a moment or two later but it was nothing to do with events at Hillsborough. News was filtering through that Southampton were staring League One in the face after conceding to Sheffield United at St Mary's.

On the half-hour Slusarski had a reasonable chance to edge Wednesday in front but was well-shepherded wide by Doherty before eventually drilling a low shot well wide of the post.

In the 34th minute the game's first booking arrived as Clattenburg cautioned Johnson for a late tackle on Ryan Bertrand.

Ched Evans had a half-chance from a well-worked City free-kick routine five minutes later, but scuffed his first-time shot wide of Grant's post after a clever pass across the edge of the area from Fotheringham.

He had an even better opportunity in City's next attack, showing good pace and strength to win the race for a penetrative long ball forward from Otsemobor before lobbing the stranded Grant from 20 yards - only for the ball to drop a foot over the bar.

As a lively first 45 minutes neared its completion Slusarski finished a sweeping Wednesday move from left to right with a drilled effort from the right corner of the City box, but Marshall dived smartly to collect.

The tension for the home fans was turned back up a notch as news came through that Southampton had equalised against the Blades - although this was softened in turn by news that Coventry City were losing 2-1 at Charlton and as a result were firmly involved in one of the more exciting last days of the season in recent years.. As the half came to a close there was still all to play for in what promised to be an interesting second 45 minutes.

Half-time: Sheffield Wednesday 1, Norwich City 1

Three minutes after the restart Ched Evans got himself into a useful position on the left but with Huckerby screaming for a ball just inside he opted instead to pick out Pattison arriving in space on the edge of the area. The City midfielder got under his first-time effort and it sailed well over Grant's crossbar.

Unfortunately after playing so well to date City went to sleep in the 52nd minute - and were made to pay for some slack defending as Wednesday took the lead.

Dion Dublin competed manfully for a huge looping ball just outside the City box and won the original challenge only for the ball to cannon off him and straight into the path of Slusarski free on the left. The City defence seemed horribly slow to react to the danger - and when Slusarski pinged a dangerous low ball into the six-yard area, there was Ben Sahar arriving to bundle it home into the net.

Wednesday made two substitutions in the 54th minute, Songo'o and Watson making way for Kavanagh and McAllister respectively. City responded four minutes later with their first change, Lee Croft coming on for Pattison.

The home side knew they still had work to do as Southampton edged in front of Sheffield United at St Mary's. As things stood it was Leicester City who were doomed, but there was still football to be played on this frantic afternoon of Championship action.

On the hour-mark Spurr tested Marshall with a fierce effort which brought a good reaction save from Marshall.

There were emotional scenes of great credit to both sets of supporters in the 66th minute as Dion Dublin left the pitch to be replaced by Jamie Cureton.

Nearly 37,000 people rose to give a huge and lengthy standing ovation as one of the game's great strikers left the field of battle for the last time in his illustrious career. Considering the pressure on Wednesday their recognition of one of the game's gentlemen was a credit to Sheffield Wednesday Football Club.

As Dublin left the pitch he was embraced by players of both sides, Wednesday Manager Brian Laws and his own boss Glenn Roeder.

FAREWELL - Dion Dublin's last game

In the 72nd minute Roeder made his final switch of the game, Alex Pearce coming on for Jon Otsemobor.

But it was Wednesday who were finally beginning to sense safety as they grabbed a priceless third goal with just under a quarter of an hour to go. It was a relatively simple affair too - disappointingly from a Norwich perspective - as Spurr's deep cross found Deon Burton unmarked to glance home his second of the match.

City's attacking flair so evident earlier in the match seemed to be deserting them, although they did at least force Grant to leap and collect a looping header from Cureton as he got on the end of Croft's chipped cross in the 80th minute.

The game's final substitution arrived on 82 minutes as Leon Clarke replaced goalscorer Sahar.

And within four minutes of his arrival Clarke made a telling contribution as he showed quick feet to fire home Wednesday's fourth.

Bartosz Slusarski seemed to have a lot of time as he cut in to City's box from the Wednesday left and picked out a lovely pass into the feet of the on-rushing Clarke. It looked as if Clarke might stumble at the critical moment but he displayed good skill and balance to somehow squeeze it in past Marshall from eight yards.

Final score: Sheffield Wednesday 4, Norwich City 1

Sheffield Wednesday: Grant, Burton, Beevers, Wood (c), Watson (Kavanagh 54), Johnson, Bolder, Spurr, Sahar (Clarke 82), Songo'o (McAllister 54), Slusarski. Subs not used: Burch, Esajas.

Norwich City: Marshall, Otsemobor (Pearce 72), Shackell, Huckerby, Dublin (Cureton 66), Fotheringham (c), Russell, Bertrand, Pattison (Croft 58), Doherty, Evans. Subs not used: Rudd, Chadwick.