Half-time: Sheffield Wednesday 0 Bristol City 0

City manager Gary Johnson announced changes in personnel and shape in an attempt to effect an upturn in fortunes, recalling left-back Jamie McAllister at the expense of injured captain Louis Carey and midfielder Gavin Williams in place of Brian Wilson.

Cole Skuse dropped to right-back, allowing Williams to operate alongside Marvin Elliott and Michael McIndoe in an adventurous 4-3-3 formation.

Playing in an advanced role, Northern Ireland winger Ivan Sproule demonstrated City's attacking intentions when running on to McIndoe's astute through and surging into the penalty area, only to be expertly tackled by Tommy Spurr in the act of shooting.

In buoyant mood following a 1-0 midweek victory over QPR, the Owls created the first clear-cut opening moments later, Leon Clarke seizing upon a long clearance and testing Adriano Basso with a firm shot which required City's Brazilian keeper to save one-handed low to his right.

McIndoe was next to try his luck from range, his sweetly-struck effort failing to inconvenience Wednesday stopper Lee Grant.

When former Everton and Arsenal hitman Francis Jeffers threatened to burst through on goal, his progress was baulked by Skuse's perfectly-timed intervention.

Prepared to defend in depth when they had to, the visitors relied upon swiftly-launched counter-attacks and nearly profited on two such occasions, Williams shooting straight at Grant and Elliott sending another effort high and wide from the edge of the 18-yard box.

In a half of few chances, Jeffers represented Wednesday's most likely source of a goal and his shot on the turn cannonned off the legs of Jamie McCombe and to safety, much to the relief of red-shirted defenders.

City did have the ball in the net shortly before half-time, McAllister's lofted free-kick from the halfway line sailing into an unprotected net, only for referee Rob Shoebridge to blow up for a foul on Grant.