Sheffield Wednesday 0-1 Bristol City
Adam Baker reports from Hillsborough

Nicky Maynard's late goal at Sheffield Wednesday sealed a third win in five matches for caretaker manager Keith Millen.

Millen remains unbeaten since taking charge following Gary Johnson's departure, and his latest three-point haul was secured by Maynard's smart finish on 81 minutes.

After an even first half, the hosts were certainly the better of the two sides in the second period. But City held firm and with one of their only attacks of the second 45, Maynard showed his clinical nature to snatch victory.

With Dean Gerken sidelined by the suspected fractured clavicle injury picked up against Nottingham Forest two days earlier, Stephen Henderson was drafted in for his full debut. Christian Ribeiro's dead leg injury also forced caretaker boss Keith Millen into a second enforced change, recalling Lewin Nyatanga at the back.

The home side began well and Tom Soares fired over the top on six minutes after good play down the left from Luke Varney.

City responded with a Cole Skuse shot from distance and Paul Hartley's bouncing free kick that Owls keeper Lee Grant was forced to push over the top.

Stephen Henderson enjoyed a superb first start for City

After a brief lull, Marcus Tudgay wasted a superb chance on 14 minutes from a well-worked corner kick. Darren Potter's flag kick was flicked on at the near post by Darren Purse towards the unmarked Tudgay on the back stick. The Owls forward tried to control his volley but never got his body shape right and sent his effort into the stands.

City then carved open a promising opportunity themselves as Hartley's pass down the right channel saw Haynes use his pace to get the beating of Mark Beevers. Haynes cut the ball across the six-yard box for his strike partner Maynard and his low, instinctive strike forced a smart save from Grant.

Grant was called into action again to push a driven shot on the angle from Haynes around the post.

Clarke was wasteful as the half-time interval approached, shooting horribly over from a good position with Tugday begging for a cross in the middle.

Half chances came and went for Maynard and Marvin Elliott in first half stoppage time as the two sides had to make do with a goalless 45.

The Owls came out fired up for the second period and forced two saves from Henderson in quick succession. The Ireland Under-21 international denied Varney with his legs from inside the box and then smartly tipped a curling Potter free kick over the top.

The one-way traffic continued towards the hour-mark when a scramble inside the box saw Varney afforded a chance from an acute angle. Once again Henderson was out smartly to block with his body as Varney fired goalwards.

Nicky Maynard celebrates netting the winner at Hillsborough

On 66 minutes one of Tommy Spurr's long throws into the box was flicked on and sent narrowly wide by Clarke with an overhead attempt.

Elliott provided some respite for City with a 25-yard drive just over the top but they were soon on the back foot once more.

Clarke robbed Hartley and bent a low shot wide of the post, and then Elliott's sliding challenge on Purse in the box was greeted with loud claims for a penalty kick only for referee Graham Salisbury to wave away appeals.

It proved crucial as City finally broke the deadlock, somewhat against the run of play, with nine minutes left. A long clearance forward from Henderson was allowed to drop by the Owls defence and Maynard pounced. The City top scorer bundled his way beyond Beevers and coolly finished beyond Grant.

The game would have been over as a contest on 85 minutes had substitute David Clarkson's low shot found the net rather the woodwork. Receiving a smart pass from Maynard, his low shot cannoned against the near post and back into the arms of a relieved Grant.

It mattered little, all Wednesday could muster in a response was a woeful volley from Soares well wide of the mark.