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Scott Young and Danny Gabbidon claimed their first win as Cardiff City's joint caretaker managers with victory over Sheffield Wednesday.

With prospective new boss Russell Slade watching from the stands, Cardiff took the lead through Sean Morrison's firm first-half header.

Morrison then scored an own goal after the restart to pull Wednesday level.

But Anthony Pilkington's sharp volley secured Cardiff's first league win since August 19.

Victory came as a huge relief for the hosts, whose recent poor form had led to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's departure as manager.

The Bluebirds are still in negotiations with Leyton Orient about the appointment of Slade, who resigned from his post at Brisbane Road on Wednesday.

Young and Gabbidon have been placed in temporary charge while Cardiff wait to finalise a deal for Slade.

This was their third match in charge and, after a dismal 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth in the Capital One Cup on Tuesday, it was no surprise to see them make nine changes for the Owls' visit.

Wednesday had also been beaten heavily in midweek - 7-0 to Manchester City - but with that loss coming against the Premier League champions, Stuart Gray made only four changes to his side.

That was largely because Wednesday's league form had been markedly better than Cardiff's.

With no wins in five Championship games, the Bluebirds had slipped to 16th in the table.

Sheffield Wednesday, by contrast, entered this match in the play-off places after two successive Championship victories.

They seemed buoyed by their recent good form as they made a bright start, Stevie May rounding Cardiff goalkeeper David Marshall inside six minutes but having his shot cleared off the line by Fabio Da Silva.

It was not until 20 minutes later that Cardiff managed their first effort, as Aron Gunnarsson's header was well saved by a stretching Keiren Westwood before Kenwyne Jones volleyed his rebound over.

Westwood was powerless, however, to prevent Cardiff's opening goal. Peter Whittingham curled in an inviting free-kick and Morrison sent a powerful header into the net.

Morrison's first goal in a Cardiff shirt came just six minutes before half time. His second came three minutes after the restart - but for the wrong team.

Wednesday's Chris Maguire fizzed in a low cross from the right, prompting Morrison to slide in and inadvertently prod the ball beyond Marshall in the Bluebirds' goal.

The Owls' equaliser prompted a period of intense Cardiff pressure.

The hosts regained the lead shortly after the hour, as Jones nodded down to Pilkington, who juggled the ball deftly and volleyed in from 12 yards.

Cardiff substitute Federico Macheda had an injury-time goal ruled out for offside but, after a nervy last few minutes, Young and Gabbidon were merely thankful to hold on for a precious victory.

Cardiff City joint caretaker manager Scott Young: "If it was our last game then it's not a bad record really. We are unbeaten in the league, and we have taken four points out of six.

"We will have conversations over the weekend with the owner and the chairman and see where we go from here.

"We all know winning breeds confidence and hopefully this result can do that for the squad. We have taken a point at Derby and we have won at home here, now it is important we get a result at Brighton because that will keep the confidence building."

Sheffield Wednesday manager Stuart Gray: "I thought if we had got our noses in front we would have won here as they would have been a bit nervous at home.

"I thought once we went to 1-1 there was only one team that was going to win it, but it shows that if you do not defend your 18-yard box properly you are going to concede. We have tended to do things right in both boxes and we did not do much right in either."