Brighton and Hove Albion fans are used to waiting.

The Falmer decision has taken an eternity but, if John Prescott finally says yes on Friday, the wait will have been well worthwhile.

It was the same for the team in South Yorkshire last night, a case of better late than never.

A header by substitute Colin Kazim-Richards in the 93rd minute prised what could prove to be a precious point come the end of the season.

The Coca-Cola Kid's second goal for the club after replacing Jake Robinson cancelled out Lee Peacock's 55th-minute opener for Wednesday.

Just as importantly, it kept the Seagulls above their hosts in the Championship danger zone and maintained the momentum of last week's memorable triumph at Crystal Palace.

Albion's remarkable away record, just one defeat in ten stretching back to the latter stages of last season, is no coincidence.

They performed in front of another 20,000-plus crowd at Hillsborough last night and the players clearly thrive in such environments.

Prescott could provide the perfect antidote to their Withdean ills by approving Albion's new stadium ahead of successive home games, beginning with Saturday's visit by Ipswich.

Goalkeeper Wayne Henderson, making the final away appearance of his loan spell from Aston Villa, demonstrated again what a valuable contribution he has made since his temporary move from the West Midlands by saving the Seagulls from falling behind after only eight minutes as supporters' minds were focused on the football rather than Falmer last night.

A neat build-up by Wednesday involving Graeme Lee, David Graham and Chris Brunt released Peacock for a shot from 15 yards which Henderson dived to deflect one-handed.

Wednesday manager Paul Sturrock has been trying hard to strengthen his strike force.

Bids have been turned down for Wycombe's Nathan Tyson and Swansea's Lee Trundle and an incident soon after Henderson's save from Peacock emphasised the urgency of Sturrock's search.

Brunt whipped over a dangerous low cross which Graham did not react to when an outstretched boot would have left Albion with a deficit.

Graham was seen to better effect with a drive from 20 yards just wide of Henderson's left-hand post after Chris Eagles found him with a precise pass.

Albion did not threaten until midway through the first half but, when they did, the audacity of Sebastien Carole almost put them ahead.

Fed by Gary Hart from a free kick, the little Frenchman tried his luck from 25 yards. The ball bounced wickedly in front of David Lucas, who was at full stretch to push it around the post. Wednesday had in Eagles a winger with the same sort of attacking instincts as Carole.

The Manchester United loanee went close to breaking the deadlock with an angled shot from outside the box.

Albion twice found themselves temporarily playing against ten men in the latter stages of the opening 45 minutes, first when Graham went off for treatment to a head wound and then when the injured Frankie Simek was eventually replaced at rightback by Lee Bullen.

The home team's initial promise had evaporated by that point, the Seagulls restricting them to efforts from long range.

The disgruntled remarks of Wednesday's supporters during the break suggested many of them would have switched over to watch the return to Eastenders of the Mitchell brothers if they had been watching at home on Sky.

There could have been more reason for the Hillsborough faithful to feel aggrieved a minute into the restart when Albion had a shout for a penalty.

Alexandre Frutos, making his full debut in place of the injured Richard Carpenter and fresh from becoming a father for the first time, sent Robinson scurrying into freedom down the left flank.

Graham Coughlan appeared to handle as he slid and stretched to block the cross but the Seagulls had to settle for just a corner. The stalemate was unexpectedly broken by Wednesday ten minutes into the second half, thanks to the enterprise of Brunt.

The Northern Ireland international was allowed to advance unchallenged before striking a fierce shot from 20 yards.

Henderson kept it out but the rebound fell for Peacock to rifle only his third goal of the season into the roof of the net.

Albion, with Kazim-Richards on for Robinson, showed a bit more urgency going forward once they were in arrears. A clever lob by Hammond created an opening for the Seagulls' substitute but Kazim-Richards could not get sufficient power behind his effort to seriously bother Lucas.

Wednesday twice spurned opportunities to put the contest beyond Albion's reach, first when Peacock fired wastefully wide from a cross by John Hills following a quickly taken free kick, and then when Eagles dragged his attempt wide after evading Paul Reid.

Jarrett, introduced at the expense of Frutos, came closest to restoring parity when Charlie Oatway put him in behind the home defence but Lucas was smartly off his line to smother.

The misses by Peacock and Eagles proved costly as Kazim-Richards came dramatically to Albion's rescue three minutes into stoppage time.

He met a right-wing cross from Carole with a firm and perfectly placed header, his first away goal for the club.

He will not score a more valuable one. Albion would have been back in the relegation zone without it. Kazim-Richards comes straight back down to earth today. He is playing in the Reserves at Queen's Park Rangers.

  • Sheffield Wednesday: (4-4-2): Lucas; Simek, Lee, Coughlan, Hills; Eagles, Whelan, Rocastle, Brunt; Graham, Peacock. Subs: Bullen for Simek (injured, 40), O'Brien for Graham (withdrawn, 86), Wood, Partridge, Corr.
  • Albion (4-4-2): Henderson 7; Hart 7, McShane 7, Butters 7, Reid 7; Carole 7, Oatway 7, Hammond 8, Frutos 7; Robinson 6, Knight 7. Subs: Nicolas, Jarrett for Frutos (withdrawn, 78), El-Abd, Kazim-Richards (7) for Robinson (withdrawn, 61), Blayney.
  • Matchfacts
  • - Shots on goal: Albion 4, Wednesday 3.

- Shots off goal: Albion 1, Wednesday 12.

- Corners: Albion 8, Wednesday 4.

- Offside: Albion 9, Wednesday 0.

- Free-kicks: Albion 12, Wednesday 15.

  • Albion booking: Dean Hammond (64) foul
  • Wednesday bookings: None
  • Albion scorer: Colin Kazim-Richards (93)
  • Wednesday scorers: Lee Peacock (55)