Lee Gregory’s fourth goal in five games saw off Crewe to move Sheffield Wednesday into the League One play-off positions and also keep alive their automatic promotion hopes with three games to play.

A 54th-minute Gregory penalty sealed a 1-0 win against the already-relegated Railwaymen, who nevertheless showed plenty of spirit under interim boss Alex Morris.

The victory also extended the Owls’ timely unbeaten run to an eighth game on a night when high-flying rivals Rotherham and MK Dons both lost and Wigan drew at Ipswich.

Darren Moore’s men started with real purpose, but two shocking early misses took the wind out of their sails for the rest of the first half.

First, Saido Berahino somehow cleared the crossbar in front of an open goal after being teed up perfectly by Jack Hunt.

Strike partner Gregory then also contrived to prod weakly wide three yards from goal.

But the former Millwall forward was not to be denied from a second free shot on the visitors’ goal nine minutes after the interval when Nathaniel Mendez-Laing was tripped by a clumsy Scott Kashket challenge on the left byline.

Gregory fired the resulting spot-kick into Dave Richards’ bottom-right corner as the Crewe keeper dived in the opposite direction, meaning Wednesday have now racked up more points at home this season than any other EFL side.