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Glenn Loovens headed past Karl Darlow to give Sheffield Wednesday victory at Newcastle

Championship play-off chasers Sheffield Wednesday produced a superb away display to beat top-of-the-table Newcastle United at St James' Park.

Glenn Loovens' second-half header was enough to secure victory for the Owls, who remain sixth in the table.

Wednesday goalkeeper Keiren Westwood made several fine saves, tipping Dwight Gayle's goal-bound shot on to the post in the early stages of the first half.

But Newcastle, who had won their past three, could not find a way through.

After recovering from back-to-back league defeats with a three-game winning streak, Newcastle looked likely to extend their lead at the summit. However they were well marshalled for the most part by Wednesday.

Despite an early scare when Gayle struck the frame of the goal, it was the Owls who had the best of the chances and only Karl Darlow's sharp reactions stopped ex-Sunderland striker Steven Fletcher from a first-half opener.

The visitors' gameplan troubled Newcastle throughout as Darlow continued made fine saves, but eventually his and the host's luck ran out when Loovens pounced.

As time ticked down the Magpies mounted a late bid to grind down Wednesday, but were unable to achieve the breakthrough and a sell-out crowd were left frustrated at the final whistle.

Newcastle United boss Rafael Benitez told BBC Newcastle: "We have to be disappointed when we lose, especially these kind of games when you're at the top against a good team and we didn't manage the pressure.

"We had three chances before the first chance they had and we didn't taken them, then we make mistakes and concede a goal. The second half we gave them the opportunity to play counter-attack.

"It is important when you can't score or create, don't give other teams the belief they can break. They're a good team with experience in the league."

Sheffield Wednesday boss Carlos Carvalhal told BBC Radio Sheffield: "We are Sheffield Wednesday. I talked about this in the press conference, we have a brand in the way we play.

"Whatever we do - win, lose or draw - we try to win the game and tonight we did absolutely fantastic.

"We had the plan for the game, we tried to stay with the ball and have the ball in areas they would struggle to press, and we were a threat to the goal.

"The best way to reflect it is that their goalkeeper was the best player for Newcastle, he made three or four fantastic saves."