Bristol City vs Sheffield Wednesday. Sky Bet Championship.
Ashton Gate StadiumAttendance22,322.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Bristol City and Sheffield Wednesday at Ashton Gate on Saturday | Rob Dickie's goal seals a win for managerless Robins over 10-player Owls, who lost Barry Bannan to an early red card.
Saturday 4 November 2023 18:59, UK
Curtis Fleming made a successful start to his spell as Bristol City interim head coach as Rob Dickie's second-half goal proved enough for a 1-0 Championship win over 10-man Sheffield Wednesday at Ashton Gate.
The Owls were a man down from the 32nd minute when Barry Bannan was sent off for bringing down Jason Knight from behind as he prepared to shoot. City claimed a penalty, but referee Lewis Smith ruled that the offence was just outside the box.
Wednesday defended valiantly, but were undone after 64 minutes when centre-back Dickie slid in to convert Tommy Conway's deflected cross from the right.
It meant a positive start to life without the sacked Nigel Pearson for the home side, but they were made to work hard by determined opponents belying their lowly status in the table.
City made a bright start, with Conway shooting narrowly wide and Knight firing straight at goalkeeper Cameron Dawson.
Wednesday took time to grow into the game, but created a great chance after 24 minutes when Anthony Musaba headed over from a Reece James cross.
Musaba shot over before Bannan received his marching orders for fouling Knight. From the resulting free-kick, the ball broke to George Tanner, whose low shot was palmed around a post by Dawson.
Taylor Gardner-Hickman shot over for City, but Wednesday defended with tenacity until the break, Bambo Diaby and Dominic Iorfa excelling in a strong back-line.
Visiting boss Danny Rohl made two changes at the break, sending on Pol Valentin and Will Vaulks for Michael Smith and Djeidi Gassama.
Wednesday began the second half on the front foot and City goalkeeper Max O'Leary had to be alert to palm out Iorfa's far-post header from a left-wing corner.
Cameron Pring had a 25-yard shot saved by the diving Dawson, but the hosts were finding it difficult to create openings. By the hour mark, Fleming had seen enough and made a triple substitution - Kal Naismith, Sam Bell and Anis Mehmeti replacing Zak Vyner, Tanner and Andreas Weimann.
City began to dominate after Dickie's goal and should have gone two up after 72 minutes. Conway's low shot came back off a post and from the rebound Bell somehow contrived to hit the other upright with the goal at his mercy.
Instead of being out of sight, the Robins had to endure a nervy finish and were grateful to O'Leary for a brilliant save near the end, keeping out substitute Ashley Fletcher's close-range shot.
City had another chance in stoppage time when goalkeeper Dawson went forward for a corner and Conway raced away on the break only to delay his shot and allow a recovery tackle.
Bristol City's interim head coach Curtis Fleming:
"I am just taking things day by day. I will enjoy a glass of beer tonight and then see what the club's plans are going forward.
"If it proves my only game in charge, at least I will have a 100 per cent record!
"It has been a tough few days, losing friends who have left and trying to prepare the players for what we knew was going to be a massive game for us.
"You try to paint pictures for them in training, but those pictures can change when the lads are performing in front of 20,000 people.
"I tried to tweak a few things and some worked better than others. We can play better, but sometimes the result is more important than the performance."
Sheffield Wednesday's Danny Rohl:
"After the red card I saw a team on the pitch who were giving everything.
"I am so proud of them. We had three or four chances to equalise and deserved something from the game.
"I didn't think Barry deserved his red card. It was a foul, but we had two defenders covering, so it was not a clear scoring chance.
"Bristol City are a strong side, who press high, but we feel a bit unlucky today.
"Things tend to go against you when you are at the wrong end of the table.
"Now we have to recover and move on. We know we need wins, but I saw so much to please me.
