Match Report: Bristol City 1 Sheffield United 0

Bristol City substitute Marley Watkins scored the winner for Lee Johnson's men, flicking home a cross from the right with less than ten minutes on the clock.

United created more than enough openings to get something from the game, David McGoldrick in particular going close on three occasions, but paid the price for their profligacy when Watkins struck.

The Blades were dealt a blow before the fixture with news that their influential Scottish midfielder John Fleck would be unfit to face Lee Johnson's men, after damaging his groin. 

But any fears that loss would dampen United's attacking output were quickly dismissed as, after a fairly inauspicious start, they recovered to dominate proceedings in the first half.

David McGoldrick in particular missed three good chances in the first 45 minutes alone, twice shooting wide and glancing a header past the target on the other occasion, and Dean Henderson had to be alert to palm away a curling effort from Niclas Eliasson to his right.

Henderson's opposite number Niki Maenpaa made a similar save at the start of the second half to deny Lundstram, and United's shouts for a penalty were waved away when Enda Stevens went down under the challenge of Adam Webster.

United boss Chris Wilder threw on Conor Washington and Marvin Johnson, making his Blades debut, for Billy Sharp and Mark Duffy, and the home side improved themselves with the introduction of Watkins.

The former Barnsley man failed to make enough contact with a header when well-placed, and record signing Famara Diedhiou lost his composure at the vital moment when he looked odds-on to break the deadlock.

But Watkins made no such mistake, flicking a header from a right-wing cross into the top corner of Henderson's goal.

City: Maenpaa, Dasilva (Watkins, 62), Webster, Brownhill, Diedhiou (Taylor, 78), Weimann, Kelly, Eliasson (O'Dowda, 62), Pack, Kalas, Hunt. Not used: O'Leary, Baker, Walsh, Paterson.

 

Blades: Henderson, Freeman, Basham, Egan, O'Connell, Stevens, Lundstram (Clarke 83), Norwood, Duffy (Washington 68, Sharp (Johnson 68), McGoldrick. Not used: Moore, Baldock, Woodburn, Stearman.