The predicted overnight snow failed to materialise and the game went ahead as scheduled.

Old boys, Mark Bright and Darren Pitcher, attended the game and veteran politician, Roy Hattersley, was at The Valley to cheer his beloved Wednesday on.

Unsurprisingly, Chris Powell stuck with the team that had served him so well against Lancashire duo, Blackpool and Blackburn. Fit again, Leon Cort, was on the bench at the expense of Rhoys Wiggins but Powell resisted the temptation to include Danny Haynes in his squad.

Wednesday’s robust tactics earnt Giles Coke a sixth minute booking for a late challenge on Dale Stephens.

The first half was a turgid affair but the Addicks nearly broke the deadlock after 36 minutes. A Stephens free-kick from the left was headed back, from beyond the far post, by Matt Taylor. Taylor picked out central defensive partner, Michael Morrison, who rattled the crossbar with a close range header.

Wednesday’s only real opening came a minute before the break. A long ball was played into the box, which Ben Hamer spilled, but Wednesday failed to take advantage, putting the ball wide of the gaping net.

The tempo was upped at the beginning of the second half. Charlton went ahead just two minutes after the restart, with a sweeping move that went from one end of the pitch to the other.

Hamer gathered the ball from a Wednesday corner and released Lawrie Wilson who waited for Chris Solly to gallop into space. Solly’s deep cross was played back into the danger area by Bradley Pritchard, for Johnnie Jackson to put the hosts ahead, with a shot that went in via Chris Kirkland’s left hand post.

Midway through the half, the Addicks came desperately close to doubling their advantage when Scott Wagstaff cut in from the left and hit Kirkland’s far post.

The Owls posed much more of a threat after falling behind. The introduction of recently arrived loanee, Leroy Lita, was pivotal and he was susequently joined by giant striker, Gary Madine.

The game was stood on its head in the last six minutes. First, a towering header from defender, Reda Johnson, looped into the left hand corner of Hamer’s net, with the keeper rooted to the spot.

Five minutes later the turnaround was complete when a Lita shot took a wicked deflection off Matt Taylor and the ball again nestled in the left hand corner of the keeper’s net.

Powell made a triple substitution in stoppage time, replacing Evina, Wilson and Stephens with Green, Fuller and Wright-Phillips but it was to no avail.

The Addicks will feel they deserved to get something from the match. They will have the chance to get back to winning ways at Selhirst Park next week.

One FA Cup result with significance for Charlton was Barnsley’s 1-0 victory at Hull. The result means that the game at Hull on 16 February will now go ahead as planned.

Charlton: Hamer; Solly, Evina, Taylor, Morrison, Evina (Green 90); Pritchard, Stephens (Wright-Phillips 90), Jackson; Wilson (Fuller 90), Wagstaff; Kermorgant.

Subs (not used): Button, Dervite, Dervite, Harriott.

Goal: Jackson 47.

Sheffield Wednesday: Kirkland; Buxton, Llera, Gardner, R Johnson; Antonio, Lee (Lita 55), Prutton, Coke, Pugh (Madine 67), J Johnson (Semedo 90).

Subs (not used): Bywater, Taylor, Mattock, McCabe.

Goals: R Johnson 84, Lita 89.

Booked: Coke 5 (foul), Buxton 35 (foul), Llera 90 (time wasting).

Referee: Grahm Salisbury (Lancashire).

Att: 20,292 (1,936 Sheff Wed).