Shrewsbury Town 0 Sheffield Wednesday 3: Smith fires hat-trick as Owls provide a welcome confidence booster ahead of play-offs

Sadly, with an air of inevitability somewhat, their automatic promotion hopes are now over after Ipswich threatened a cricket score and Plymouth Argyle did what they had to do.

Preparations for the play-offs can now truly begin and after some pretty dismal recent form so far this spring, this was much better.

It was a day Michael Smith certainly won’t forget after his first hat-trick in an Owls jersey, while you have to go back to August 2016 for his only other previous treble, all in a losing cause for Portsmouth at Yeovil.

Wednesday badly needed some positivity from the afternoon and that arrived thankfully as they won in Shrewsbury for the first time since 1982.

Smith took the plaudits as well as taking his season’s tally to 19. But the sight of Michael Ihiekwe excelling at the back and Josh Windass making a late return from the bench were also distinct ticks in the boxes.

The sight of Wednesdayites singing about ‘Wembley’ in the second half and a big post-match rallying call of ‘Come on Wednesday” as the Owls players clapped them was also glass-is-half full stuff.

Wednesday were far more polished and convincing than seven days earlier against Exeter when they laboured badly.

That was an encouraging enough sight at least in a game which had all the hallmarks of being a huge occasion in the Owls’ season a month and a half ago and potentially a party, only to really be an afternoon for gaining back some confidence back ahead of play-off participation.

Wednesday were on a wing and a prayer in terms of their top-two hopes, let’s be honest.

The interval news that Ipswich had slammed in five goals without reply in the opening 45 minutes against an Exeter side whom the Owls’ laboured against seven days earlier told its own story.

Plymouth edged ahead on the stroke of half-time versus Burton, who Wednesday suffered a punishing loss against a fortnight earlier.

Wednesday, who handed a start to fit-again Ihiekwe - his previous start in the league was in the reverse fixture in November - produced some decent enough possession football on a slippery surface.

The breakthrough was a beauty in fairness with Ihiekwe, Smith and Gregory all involved in an excellent flowing move.

Smith was sent clear and his stroked finish past ex-Doncaster Rovers keeper Marko Marosi was a reminder of Wednesday amid happier times in 22-23.

Shrewsbury - whose backline included ex-Owls defender Chey Dunkley - looked susceptible at the back. There looked to be scope for Wednesday to boost their confidence levels, but they did not go through the gears. It also told a bit of a story.

That said, Bannan went close to a second when his strike from distance was tipped over by Marosi, while Smith prodded a golden chance wide after the ball broke for him invitingly following a melee.

At the other end, Shrewsbury got into the game around the half-hour mark, with Ihiekwe making a couple of fine blocks, including a very important one to deny Christan Saydee after home pressure.

Moments after the interval, Wednesday almost doubled their money when Dennis Adeniran’s cross on the right was flicked towards goal by Gregory. His effort was destined for the far post, only to take a deflection off Shrews defender Tom Flanagan.

Soon after, the 1,600 Wednesdayites in the away stand were soon on their feet.

Johnson’s cross on the left was guided home in pinpoint fashion from Smith, whose header was deadly.

The celebrations were muted, with a bow to events elsewhere.

After a pretty average performance, Salop then spurned a good chance to make inroads back into the game when Killian Phillips shot weakly at Cameron Dawson after being teed up by Jordan Shipley.

Play swung back to the other end, with a piledriver from Will Vaullks beaten out by Marosi before Dawson was called into work to keep out Dunkley’s header.

Shrewsbury’s performance lacked one quality. Although captain Luke Leahy did produce one with his fine curler clipping the crossbar.

The next moment of poise came from Smith, who coolly stroked home his hat-trick goal after Bannan’s pass.

Shrewsbury Town: Marosi; Flanagan, Dunkley, Moore; Bennett (Pyke 66), Winchester, Leahy, Shipley; Phillips; Street (Bowman 65) Saydee (Bloxham 45). Substitutes unused: Burgoyne, Craig, Barlow.

Sheffield Wednesday: Dawson; Iorfa, Ihiekwe (Flint 75), Palmer (Brown 88); Adeniran (Bakinson 76), Vaulks, Bannan (Windass 89), Johnson; Paterson; Smith (Dele-Bashiru 84), Gregory. Substitutes unused: Stockdale, Shipston.

Referee: D Whitestone (Northants).