Round-up: O'Grady is the man of steel as Wednesday blunt Blades

Chris O’Grady turns away after scoring Sheffield Wednesday’s winner (PA)

Sheffield Wednesday secured a crucial 1-0 home victory over Sheffield United in the Steel City derby yesterday, with Chris O'Grady scoring the winner to send Gary Megson's side up to third in League One.

O'Grady headed home Lewis Buxton's cross in the 73rd minute to claim his seventh goal of the season and the local bragging rights. Victory for Wednesday arrested a run of four losses and they now lie two points behind second-placed United.

Nigel Adkins, meanwhile, expressed his delight for Rickie Lambert after the striker's hat-trick secured Southampton a 3-0 win at Watford to send his side to the Championship summit on Saturday.

Lambert scored with a looped header and fired home from the edge of the area for his second before converting a penalty to claim his treble, but it was the 30-year-old's second goal which impressed his manager the most.

Adkins enthused: "Morgan Schneiderlin picks up the ball in the centre of the park, it ends up with Adam Lallana with a little bit of creative skill and what a fantastic finish from Lambert for the second one."

Sam Allardyce, meanwhile, called on West Ham supporters to be patient during their push for promotion after the Hammers were held to a goalless draw at home to Crystal Palace.

West Ham slid to second in the league after Southampton's win but Allardyce chose to remain positive. "You build up the expectation as we have done having done so well," said Allardyce, "and we didn't deliver. But the fans have to stay with us and have to be patient."

A pocket of home fans booed West Ham's players off the field at the final whistle and Allardyce said: "As a manager you have to take it . But one or two of the players in the dressing room were a little disappointed to get booed because we are [near] the top of the league."

The Bournemouth chairman Eddie Mitchell yesterday apologised for swearing three times in an exchange with BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Mark Chapman during the station's 606 programme on Saturday evening.

Mitchell was taken off air after swearing for a third time as he defended the actions of Russian co-owner Maxim Demin's wife, who spoke to the team at half-time when they were 1-0 down to Milton Keynes Dons.

Mitchell said: "I'm not going to deny [Mr and Mrs Demin] the opportunity to speak to the players who they indirectly employ and pay their wages."

When Mitchell swore for the third time, Chapman interjected before saying: "You do not come on this show and swear not once, not twice, but three times."