New Labour, new Wednesday. It is amazing what Westminster can do. All it took was four Labour MPs to delve into the problems at Hillsborough and call for the sacking of Danny Wilson, and the campaign to save the club's Premiership life began in earnest.

If only all politics were so easy. Joe Ashton, the Bassetlaw MP and former Wednesday director, suggested that the terraces were awash with cries of "Well done, Joe lad" and "Yougerronwi'it, Joe" even before Wednesday produced one of their few scintillating performances of the season.

Three Premiership wins to their name and only a point behind the second-bottom club Watford: any politician worth his salt would claim that improvement as a triumph. Best not mention that Bradford were next to useless.

For once Wilson's side defended acceptably enough, although if Dean Saunders had stolen between Peter Atherton and Pavel Srnicek to give Bradford a second-minute lead, or if Andy Hinchcliffe hadn't later headed off the line from Jamie Lawrence, Ashton might have been tempted into a sit-down protest on the pitch.

Instead, a host of Wednesday near misses in the first half became irrelevant as Niclas Alexandersson and an own-goal from Andrew O'Brien provided a victory that really was fundamental to their survival.

Wilson has had limited money to spend, and the final verdict on his major Low Country signings, such as De Bilde and Sibon, will largely rest upon whether Wednesday survive. They should not be written off just yet.

Sheff Wed: Srnicek, Nolan, Atherton, Walker, Hinchcliffe, Alexandersson (Donnelly 70), Jonk, Haslam, Quinn, Sibon, De Bilde. Subs Not Used: Pressman, Sonner, Cresswell, Staniforth. Goals: Alexandersson 52, O'Brien 67 og.

Bradford: Clarke, Halle, Wetherall, O'Brien, Myers, Lawrence, McCall (Windass 72), Redfearn, Beagrie (Mills 59), Saunders, Blake. Subs Not Used: Westwood, Sharpe, Davison.

Referee: J Winter (Stockton-on-Tees).