Bristol City 2-3 Sheffield United match report: The Daily Mirror verdict

Darius Henderson dedicated his first hat-trick to his three children after stunning City with almost the last kick of the game.

The Blades striker found the back of the net with a low shot just 15 seconds after his side had kicked-off, having been pegged back by Alvaro Saborio's stoppage time equaliser.

It completed an unforgettable day for Henderson, who quickly had the match ball autographed and paraded it proudly before boarding the team coach,

"The hat-trick was for my kids, Kai, Hogan and Brody," he said. "I've waited a long time to be able to dedicate three goals in a game to them and it's a special feeling.

"It's hard to describe how I felt when the last one went in. Just ecstatic, I suppose, and so pleased for the other lads because we worked very hard for that win.

"When you go two goals up at a ground where the fans are hostile and get behind their team it is always going to be difficult and we came under a lot of pressure in the second half."

The treble took Henderson's goals for the campaign to ten, just five short of his best ever tally.

"Twenty sounds nice, but I'm just looking to progress and score as many as I can," he said.

Henderson needed a little help from referee Andrew Hall with his first goal on the half hour, which was allowed even though a linesman was flagging for offside against Lee Williamson when the low shot beat Dean Gerken.

Three minutes later the powerful striker was on target again, firing in off the crossbar after Jamie McCombe's miskick had gifted possession to Jamie Ward.

Louis Carey replied for City with a header from Paul Hartley's 53rd minute free kick, but Carl Ikeme, on loan from Wolves, made fine saves from Nicky Maynard and Danny Haynes to thwart the home side's second half fightback.

When Saborio threaded the equaliser through a crowded box it seemed Cityís unbeaten home record would survive. But manager Gary Johnson should have known better.

"We have conceded a lot of late goals this season and I have to work out if there is a common denominator to them," he said.

There was no place in Johnson's squad for want-away goalkeeper Adriano Basso, who confirmed on Friday that he would not be signing a new contract.

"That came as quite a shock because the chairman and I have moved heaven and earth to try and persuade Adriano to sign," said the manager, who plans a meeting with the 34-year-old Brazilian today.

Blades boss Kevin Blackwell admitted he couldn't stand too many finishes like this one, but was hugely relieved to avoid any more injuries.

"I might actually be able to field the same team for successive games and that would be a first this season," he said.

"You can't buy the emotions we felt at the end. We have 18 players make debuts this season and it's only November so things have been very tough for us.

"All managers want continuity when it comes to team selection and it would be nice to think we might get some now."

For City it's just two points from the last 12 available, a run which has seen them drop from fifth to twelfth in the Championship table.

Bristol City (4-4-2): Gerken 5; Skuse 7 (Sproule 76), McCombe 4, Carey 7, McAllister 6 (Fontaine 88); Johnson 5, Hartley 7, Elliott 6, Sno 6 (Saborio 85); Maynard 5, Haynes 5. Subs (not used) Clarkson, Williams, Henderson, Nyatanga.

Sheffield United (4-5-1): Ikeme 8; Walker 6, Morgan 7, Davies 6, Kilgallon 6; Ward 7 (Reid 88), Montgomery 6, Williamson 6 (Stewart 59, 6), Harper 6 (Fortune 90), Quinn 7; Henderson 9. Subs (not used) France, Evans, Taylor, Bunn.