"They are a good side and when we didn't get the second goal we deserved it gave them hope," said Dave Jones.
"We should have been more than a goal up at the interval but we held on for the victory.
"Jimmy's goal was a great move but we had to grind it out and some of the defensive headers were superb.
"A set play can always cause problems when you are only one up and every player had to dig in and battle hard.
"They are an honest bunch of lads, very athletic round the pitch, and some of our movement out of defence was absolutely superb.
"The little flicks and tricks are coming off for them now where they weren't before and that is confidence," he added.
"Sometimes when things are not coming off you play safety football and that is not always the best way.
"The players deserve a lot of credit, they kept believing and now that confidence has been injected into them. But you have to earn that.
"Some of the football they played, particularly in the first half, was just superb."
"We were a yard off the pace in the first half and allowed them to get on top," said Owls boss Brian Laws.
"It was a mistake by the 'keeper who rushed out and left Hasselbaink with an easy finish that has cost us today.
"We created more in the second half but failed to make their 'keeper work and we do not seem to have the consistency we need up front.
"I'm sure they expected to be in the top six before a ball was kicked," added Laws.
"I was surprised they had such a slow start, but they have gone on a run of games now in which they have been very difficult to beat.
"They came away with three points against us and, on their first-half performance, they probably deserved it."