Bristol fashion victory

Dele Adebola, the much-travelled striker who has been at more clubs than goals he has scored this season, endeared himself to the folk at Ashton Gate yesterday on his home debut with a seventh-minute opener as Bristol City strengthened their position among the play-off places.

Adebola's calm finish, for his seventh goal of the season, set City on their way before Bradley Orr struck another in the second half to increase Sheffield Wednesday's relegation concerns, with this defeat dropping them into the bottom three. Lee Bullen's last-minute volley was well taken, but by then the cause was lost. With just two wins in 14 games, yesterday did not offer much hope that they will be able to extricate themselves from the mire they are in.

City looked better than they were last weekend when Queens Park Rangers thumped them 3-0 at Loftus Road. And the addition of Adebola, who is at his eighth club, has made them more dangerous. Even in Adebola's absence, after he had been substituted, Michael McIndoe could have scored a third but placed his vicious shot straight at goalkeeper Lee Grant.

Wednesday have not won away since November 3 at Plymouth, but if they thought another trip to the West Country would be fruitful they were soon given reason to think again.

If there can be a criticism of City's excellent form after only winning promotion to the Championship last season, it is they have not scored more goals. But the arrival of Adebola for £300,000 from Coventry City is showing signs that fault may be rectified.

The burly striker showed a deft touch and poise as he latched on to a through-ball from the industrious Michael McIndoe and, after he had shrugged off Richard Hinds, slotted past Lee Grant in the seventh minute.

City looked the more likely to score another with McIndoe especially effervescent in a new pair of bright orange boots, which seemed to give the Scotsman an extra burst of energy.

However, City were reminded they still had a job to do in the 28th minute when Graham Kavanagh, loan from Sunderland, was close to curling a free-kick beyond the reach of Adrian Basso, the City goalkeeper.

Louis Carey, the City captain, was back in the centre of defence for his club after an Achilles injury had kept him out since December, but Wednesday spared him a serious examination. Instead, it was the Wednesday defence that were kept busy and Nick Carle saw another shot go just wide ten minutes before the break.

City were able to relax at the other end as Marcus Tudgay, the Wednesday striker, hit a shot that went out for a throw in.

Carle, an Australian international who left Turkish football for Ashton Gate last month, found himself in another good position after being teed up by Adebola five minutes before the interval, but the midfielder's shot was pushed wide.

But City found themselves on the back foot for the first ten minutes of the second-half but quickly crushed Wednesday's siege with a second goal in the 56th-minute. The visitors failed to clear the danger and, after Marvin Elliott had a shot blocked, the ball ran into the path of Bradley Orr who carefully steered his shot in the corner.

Star man: McIndoe (Bristol City)