Flint fires Bristol City to last-gasp victory

London (AFP) – A goal in stoppage time by Aden Flint gave Bristol City a 2-1 win over 10-man Sheffield United in an enthralling match in the English Championship on Friday.

Flint’s sixth goal of the season — the most for a defender in England’s second tier this term — sent City three points clear of United in third place and seven behind leaders Wolves, who host struggling Sunderland on Saturday.

Jamie Paterson had given the visitors the lead at Bramall Lane against the run of play in the first half, only for veteran striker Leon Clarke to level early in the second half with a league-leading 14th of the campaign.

City — who were embroiled in a relegation battle last season — are unbeaten in 10 away matches now.

United, who have not won in four, could count themselves unlucky, hitting the woodwork four times. They were in the ascendancy when John Fleck was shown a straight red by referee David Coote for a two-footed challenge in the 59th minute.

The Blades should have been well ahead before Paterson struck three minutes from half-time as Mark Duffy and Billy Sharp were denied by the woodwork and both also saw goal-bound efforts brilliantly saved by Frank Fielding. 

However, they were hit on the break as a lovely move finished off by a sublime right-footed curling effort by Paterson gave the visitors the lead.

United, though, struck back early in the second half, Clarke running at the defence before the 32-year-old — at his 18th different club — unleashed a fierce strike from the edge of the area to beat Fielding at last.

Duffy — who dropped out of the game at one point to be a scaffolder before fighting his way back up from non-league football — went close to giving United the lead but once again the woodwork denied him.

However, Fleck’s loss of control shortly afterwards swung the game away from the Blades.

United defied City for almost half an hour until their concentration slipped in the dying minutes and Flint nipped in and rifled the ball home.