Owls beat Bradford to ease pressure

Report from Sporting-Life

Sheffield Wednesday eased their relegation worries with an excellent win at Valley Parade. Two defeats in five days five days had thrown the Owls straight back into the struggle for First Division survival, but well-taken goals from David Johnson - the on-loan striker's first for the club - and Shefki Kuqi brought a valuable three points.

The result meant an abrupt end to Bradford's recent revival, and perhaps scotched once and for all chairman Geoffrey Richmond's suggestion aired in his programme notes that a play-off place may not yet be out of the question. That optimism had emerged after excellent wins against Gillingham and Nottingham Forest, but on this showing the Bantams will have to be content with another season of hard grafting in Division One.

Terry Yorath named just one change from the side beaten 4-0 at Manchester City in midweek - Derek Geary replacing the dropped Ashley Westwood - but almost immediately it was clear this Wednesday side were dead set on improvement and the avoidance of a third loss in seven days. After an early scare when loan signing Danny Cadamarteri blasted wastefully over after Ashley Ward's good work, the Owls possessed a constant threat.

Kuqi should in fact have established the first goal, in the eighth minute, but the Finn's shot could only dent the side-netting after Johnson's through ball. Three minutes later, and the Owls were close again, with Andy Myers' backward header after Johnson's long throw nearly finding his own net, the ball eventually ricocheting off the upright with Alan Combe beaten.

The South Yorkshire side were gradually bearing down on their hosts' goalmouth, and Alan Quinn was only stopped from converting by an heroic clearance from Jamie Lawrence. So when the visitors did eventually take the lead in the 27th minute, it was of little surprise. Johnson, due to return to Nottingham Forest when his on-loan spell ends next Wednesday, turned cleverly inside the box and fired past Combe for his first goal for the club.

A minute earlier the Jamaican had in fact been subject to a vocal ticking-off from the Owls bench when he squandered a free header when just six yards out. The goal did inject more urgency into the hosts, and for the remainder of the half they were unlucky not to level, with in particular Ward unfortunate not to pick up Kevin Pressman's parry after Cadamarteri's right-hand shot.

Half-time: Bradford 0-1 Owls

After the break, Bradford continued to mount attacks to little effect, with former Manchester United man Lee Sharpe culpable on at least one occasion for profligate swings at the ball when a calm head was needed. Kuqi had already tried his hand from 25 yards by the time he gave Wednesday a two-goal cushion in the 57th minute.

Johnson sped on to a long ball from Craig Armstrong, but when his effort was spilled, the 25-year-old was on hand to slide home his fifth of the season. It was no more than Wednesday deserved for a taking their chances with such relish, but they also had good reason to thank Pressman at the other end after the veteran smothered Ward's point-blank shot with the goal beckoning.