Johnstone's Paint Trophy: Sheffield Wednesday 2 Notts County 1

It was only the second time in his 14-year career that the Dubliner, primarily a defensive midfielder, had scored twice in a game.

And O'Connor was only inches away from scoring a memorable hat-trick as he curled a shot wide in stoppage time after being put through by substitute Neil Mellor.

Winger Ben Davies scored a free-kick to bring Notts County back into the game but Alan Irvine's men held on for victory.

The Owls took the lead with less than two minutes gone, O'Connor scoring from close range after Chris Sedgwick had pulled back a cross from Gary Teale.

O'Connor doubled the lead in the 14th minute, shooting low past Burch after a cross by Jon Otsemobor.

That should have put the Owls in command but a clumsy challenge on the edge of the penalty box by Otsemobor on former Sheffield United defender Jon Harley offered County a lifeline just eight minutes later

Winger Davies curled a low free-kick around the Owls' wall and beyond the reach of goalkeeper Nicky Weaver.

In accordance with competition rules, Irvine had picked at least six of the players who started last weekend's 5-0 victory over Hartlepool.

Irvine made four changes with Otsemobor, Clinton Morrison, Daniel Jones and O'Connor replacing Lewis Buxton, Tommy Spurr, Giles Coke and Neil Mellor,

Goalkeeper Rob Burch, who played three times for the Owls during a 12-month stint at the club in 2007-08, was back in the Notts County side after injury as manager Craig Short made five changes.

The Owls, like the vast majority of Football League clubs, had been relatively inactive on transfer deadline day. One definite plus, however, was the absence of a third bid from Blackpool for Marcus Tudgay.

Although the striker has been unable to keep up his impressive goal ratio of two seasons ago, he can still be a valuable asset to the Owls this season.

Tudgay showed occasional glimpses of his talent last night and was unlucky not to score with a header that Burch saved from close range.

The Owls are currently six points clear of mid-table County after four games of the League One campaign and will be looking to strengthen their grip on top spot when they visit bottom-of-the-table Brentford this weekend.

But Irvine will not have been pleased with the way his side took the foot off the pedal when 2-0 ahead.

Buoyed by Davies's strike, County had the Owls pegged back for long periods and nearly equalised in the 34th minute when Davies's corner was headed narrowly over by Mike Edwards.

County had beefed up their approach and were giving the Owls far less time on the ball. Edwards spurned another chance to level right on the stroke of half-time, colliding with a team-mate as he attempted to head in Davies's free-kick.

Referee Peter Quinn had shown tolerance with County's tactics and allowed several heavy challenges to escape caution.

Wednesday finally began to settle again with half an hour to play.

Teale's trickery won a free-kick near the corner flag and Tudgay headed the subsequent cross against the underside of the bar.

Although Owls goalkeeper Weaver was uninvolved for most of the second half, he showed his class with a great reaction save to deny substitute Craig Westcarr late on.

The attendance of 10,551 was the biggest of the first round and justified Wednesday's decision to reduce admission prices to a fiver for adults and just 2 for kids.

Sheffield Wednesday: Weaver; Otsemobor, Purse, Beevers, Jones; Sedgwick (Miller 38), O'Connor, Potter, Teale; Morrison (Mellor 68), Tudgay. Unused substitutes: Jameson, Buxton, Heffernan.

Notts County: Burch; Thompson, Chilvers, Edwards, Harley; Hubbins (Westcarr 54), Ravenhill, Spicer. Davies; Jervis (Hawley 67), Smith (Pearce 80). Unused substitutes: Grof, Lee.

Referee: P Quinn (Cleveland)