Sheffield Wednesday could not make the most of a two-goal lead at Bramall Lane this evening and had to settle for a point in the end.
In a surprisingly open encounter Wednesday weathered some early pressure from the home side with Grant producing a good save to deny Sharp and the Owls grew in stature after the half-hour mark with Johnson and Songo'o providing a threat from wide areas.
It was from a neat touch from Songo'o that Wednesday took the lead, his neat through ball put Steve Watson away in the penalty area and his neat cross found Bolder unmarked at the back post to head home 6 minutes before the break.
The goal gave Wednesday added confidence and Kenny had to produce a fine save from a fierce Songo'o strike to prevent the Owls from going in two up at half-time.
United came out strong at the start of the second half but didn't force Grant into any telling saves before Bolder popped up to force the ball home to put the Owls 2-0 up on 56 minutes. United were struggling to control Songo'o and failed to prevent him cutting into the box past two defenders, he went on to unleash a low drive that Kenny could not hold and Bolder tapped home.
Wednesday suffered a blow on 58 minutes when injury forced Kavanagh out of the contest and within five minutes the home side had a goal back. They reverted very much to type in a bid to get back into the game, playing direct balls into and around the Wednesday penalty area and as Wednesday failed to clear Beattie saw his close range effort saved by Grant only to rebound back into the net off the unfortunate Wood.
United pressed for an equaliser but Grant denied Beattie and Sharp with two fine reaction saves while Wednesday threatened on the break with Burton and substitute Slusarski both denied by Kenny saves.
Five minutes from time O'Brien felled the onrushing Gary Speed on the edge of the penalty area and Beattie placed the resulting free-kick in to the top corner to deny the Owls a long-overdue steel city derby double.
Wednesday went close to a winner late on as Spurr found space in the box and drilled a cross low inside the six-yard box but no one managed to get on the end of it.
The point moves Wednesday up to 20th in the Championship and means that they have taken 4 points out of a possible 6 from their bitter rivals this season.