Millions Manhoef's seventh goal of the season set Stoke on their way to a vital win
Stoke City took a big step towards Championship safety with a deserved win over mid-table Sheffield Wednesday.
The hosts took the lead when Million Manhoef swept home at the back post after Jordan Thompson's attempted finish ran into his path.
The Potters made it 2-0 in bizarre circumstances when Wednesday goalkeeper Pierce Charles smashed a drop-kick against Stoke defender Ben Wilmot and the ball bounced into the empty net.
Substitute Michael Smith came close to pulling one back for the visitors but his curled shot came back off the post and they have now failed to win any of their past six games.
Mark Robins' men are going the other way and their third win in five games moved them seven points clear of the bottom three with three games left to play.
Danny Rohl's side were just five points off the play-offs when they last won, at Norwich on 11 March, but this defeat saw them drop to 15th, 13 points off the top six.
Stoke were well worth their victory and are now just three points behind the Owls.
Manhoef gave them the lead after good play down their left by Bae Junho and Thompson before the Dutchman showed good composure to hit a firm low shot past Charles.
Sam Gallagher blasted over and Domini Iorfa deflected a Manhoef effort on to his own bar as the home side pushed for a second before the break.
Wednesday improved after the interval and Callum Paterson headed over and Djeidi Gassama saw a shot blocked before teenage goalkeeper Charles had a moment to forget.
The 19-year-old Northern Ireland international had collected a long throw comfortably and looked to launch a counter-attack for his side but his clearance cannoned into a retreating Wilmot and went in.
Smith hit the post as the Owls looked for a late response, but their previously positive season is now petering out amid protests from fans against owner Dejphon Chansiri.
They will host play-off chasing Middlesbrough on Monday, while Stoke will visit promotion hopefuls Leeds the same afternoon.
Poor Owls performance leaves boss Rohl saddened
Stoke boss Mark Robins told BBC Radio Stoke:
"We've still got three games to go and we still want to finish the season strongly.
"I think from minute one to the hundredth minute we deserved the win. I thought we played some really good football, backed by a full house - my ears are still ringing.
"It was a really good day and really well-earned win on the back of a good first goal and a fortuitous second one, although when you need a goal to go in off someone's backside, there you go.
"We worked hard for it and were made to in the second half. They changed shape and personnel and they tried to lift the ball forward and put us under pressure aerially and we dealt with it."
Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Rohl told BBC Radio Sheffield:
"It's tough. We spoke a lot this week about what we want to change and how we want to play, that we have to do our basics right, and how we want to be hungry for the last games. I'm very disappointed from some individual performances today.
"I always help them and try to improve them but some players showed today they are not able to play at my level.
"It starts after three minutes with one situation and from that moment I knew it would be a tough first half. It's not what I want to see.
"It's hard. Two weeks to go but such a finish after 18 months where we were very successful together makes me sad.
"We cannot play at just 80%. This group needs 100% to get something otherwise we have not the quality in every position."
