Johnson defiant despite slip-up

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 2 BRISTOL CITY 0

LEE JOHNSON insisted the play-off race is still wide open after his Bristol City side fell to a damaging loss at Sheffield Wednesday.

City slipped out of the top six to eighth after a Barry Bannan stunner and Lucas Joao’s lobbed effort.

‘We play Derby at Ashton Gate (Saturday) and it becomes a cup final,’ said Johnson, with City trailing both Frank Lampard’s side and Middlesbrough by a point in the chase for sixth. ‘This was an opportunity missed but we’ve got to believe until the very end.’

Wednesday boss Steve Bruce was still lamenting a contentious late free-kick at Norwich on Friday that ended his side’s play- off hopes, saying: ‘A pity the referee didn’t do his job or we’d still have a squeak.’