Bristol City 1-0 Sheffield Wednesday: Managerless Robins narrowly beat 10-man Owls
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Rob Dickie has scored both of Bristol City's past two goals
Managerless Bristol City claimed a narrow win over the Championship's bottom side Sheffield Wednesday, who had to play the whole second half with 10 men.
The Owls had skipper Barry Bannan sent off before the break after he fouled Jason Knight on the edge of the area after being played into trouble by goalkeeper Cameron Dawson.
Rob Dickie broke the deadlock for the home side when he converted Tommy Conway's cross after the away side could only half-clear a corner.
The home side hit the woodwork through Conway and Sam Bell as they looked for a second to wrap it up, and the Owls nearly snatched a late leveller when Ashley Fletcher deflected Will Vaulks' free-kick but Max O'Leary made a super save.
The Robins parted company with boss Nigel Pearson last Sunday after a 2-0 defeat by rivals Cardiff and put Curtis Fleming in caretaker charge.
They thought they should have had a penalty when former Scotland international Bannan took Knight out right on the edge of the area but the referee awarded a free-kick and showed the Owls midfielder his first red card since March 2016.
Wednesday, who claimed their first win of the season against Rotherham last time out, nearly took the lead in the opening minutes of the second half but O'Leary kept out Dominic Iorfa's header.
Centre-back Dickie scored City's first goal since he had given them a 1-0 home win over Coventry City on 21 October when he slid in to score from close range.
Despite their perilous position, the Owls kept plugging away and only a wonderful reaction stop from O'Leary stopped them equalising.
Conway ought to have made it 2-0 right at the end when he broke forward after Dawson had gone up for a corner but he dallied and Akin Famewo was able to get back and make a challenge.
Danny Rohl's men, who are nine points adrift of safety, host out-of-sorts Millwall next Saturday, while Bristol City are back in action the same day when they travel to second-bottom QPR.
Bristol City caretaker boss Curtis Fleming told BBC Radio Bristol:
"I think it was a well-deserved three points but we could have made it easier.
"We set out today to pass the ball better and to press better and I thought we did that for long spells.
"I couldn't ask any more of the lads because they worked their socks off.
"The message at half-time was to keep moving the ball. I wanted them to move it quicker and they tried to do what we wanted."
Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Rohl told BBC Radio Sheffield:
"For me it was not a clear red card because we had a defender there but you have to accept it.
"We had massive opportunities to take something so I'm a little disappointed but I'm proud of the team.
"We had the belief that we could take something and we were a little unlucky in the end.
"I think if we keep playing this way we can get out of the situation we are in. We have a good team and we can stay in the league."