Henri Camara and Darius Henderson scored the goals which earned Sheff Utd a 2-0 win over Bristol City.
Camara and Henderson do the business for Blackwell's side
Henri Camara and Darius Henderson scored the goals which earned Sheffield United a 2-0 win over Bristol City and reinvigorated Championship play-off hopes at Bramall Lane.
The Blades comfortably ended a four-game winless run as Kevin Blackwell's side scored their goals in the second half to record a vital three points.
Gary Johnson's City struggled to muster much threat as an attacking force and the closest they came was when Louis Carey hit the crossbar.
After a slow start, it was City who settled quicker and emergency loan signing Chris Iwelumo, who was making his debut, caused the United defence a few problems.
United eventually came into the game and had a couple of half-chances to open the scoring.
Henderson, who scored a hat-trick in the reverse fixture in November, twice headed wide of the target, the first a particularly guilty offence given he was unmarked.
Soon after, City were reliant on goalkeeper Dean Gerken to keep them on level terms.
Superb save
Mark Yeates' effort from the edge of the area was deflected and with Gerken wrong-footed, he managed to stick a leg out and keep the ball out of the net.
And United should have been ahead with the second half just a minute old when Derek Geary produced a fine cross, which was met by Camara, but the striker's poked effort was superbly saved by Gerken.
However, the Senegal international made amends three minutes later and gave the hosts a deserved lead when he latched onto a long ball and produced an emphatic finish past Gerken and high into the net.
United continued to dominate and after Ward had fizzed a free-kick just over the crossbar, they put the game to bed with a second goal in the 62nd minute.
Ward was influential as he made headway down the left, before cutting inside and crossing for Henderson, who had no problem heading home his 12th goal of the season.
Bristol City had been restricted to long-range efforts by a solid United defence, but they came close to getting back into the game with 20 minutes left, but Carey's powerful from Paul Hartley's corner hit the crossbar.
The Robins were unable to fashion any other chances as United held on to register their second home win of 2010.
