Bristol City snatch late winner to maintain promotion push

Soccer Football - Championship - Sheffield United vs Bristol City - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain - December 8, 2017 Bristol City's Aden Flint scores their second goal Action Images/Craig Brough

LONDON (Reuters) - Bristol City's Aden Flint scored in stoppage-time to snatch a 2-1 victory at fellow promotion chasers Sheffield United on Friday that kept them third in England's second tier Championship.

Flint steered the ball home at the far post to decide an absorbing contest after the hosts had John Fleck sent off for a two-footed lunge with 30 minutes remaining.

United had hit the woodwork three times in the first half before Jamie Paterson put the visitors ahead two minutes before the break.

Soccer Football - Championship - Sheffield United vs Bristol City - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain - December 8, 2017 Bristol City's Aden Flint celebrates after the match Action Images/Craig Brough

Leon Clarke levelled three minutes after the restart before Fleck was dismissed and Flint volleyed in the decider.

City have 40 points, seven adrift of leaders Wolverhampton Wanderers, who host Sunderland on Saturday, and three behind second-placed Cardiff City, who face Reading on Monday.

Sheffield United are fourth with 37.

Soccer Football - Championship - Sheffield United vs Bristol City - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain - December 8, 2017 Bristol City's Aden Flint celebrates scoring their second goal with teammates and a fan Action Images/Craig Brough

(Reporting by Toby Davis; Editing by Gene Cherry)

Soccer Football - Championship - Sheffield United vs Bristol City - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain - December 8, 2017 Sheffield United's Leon Clarke scores their first goal Action Images/Ed Sykes

Soccer Football - Championship - Sheffield United vs Bristol City - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain - December 8, 2017 Bristol City's Jamie Paterson celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates Action Images/Ed Sykes

Soccer Football - Championship - Sheffield United vs Bristol City - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain - December 8, 2017 Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder Action Images/Ed Sykes

Soccer Football - Championship - Sheffield United vs Bristol City - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain - December 8, 2017 Bristol City manager Lee Johnson Action Images/Ed Sykes

Soccer Football - Championship - Sheffield United vs Bristol City - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain - December 8, 2017 Bristol City's Bobby Reid in action with Sheffield United's John Fleck Action Images/Ed Sykes

Soccer Football - Championship - Sheffield United vs Bristol City - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain - December 8, 2017 Bristol City's Jamie Paterson scores their first goal Action Images/Ed Sykes

Soccer Football - Championship - Sheffield United vs Bristol City - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain - December 8, 2017 Sheffield United's Billy Sharp has his shot blocked by Bristol City's Aden Flint Action Images/Craig Brough

Soccer Football - Championship - Sheffield United vs Bristol City - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain - December 8, 2017 Bristol City's Aden Flint celebrates scoring their second goal Action Images/Craig Brough

Soccer Football - Championship - Sheffield United vs Bristol City - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain - December 8, 2017 Sheffield United's John Lundstram looks dejected after Bristol City's Aden Flint scores their second goal Action Images/Ed Sykes

Soccer Football - Championship - Sheffield United vs Bristol City - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain - December 8, 2017 Bristol City's Aden Flint (hidden) celebrates scoring their second goal with teammates Action Images/Craig Brough