Bristol City 2 Middlesbrough 1

Aug 30 2009 Sunday Sun

SECOND best Boro surrendered their unbeaten start to the season after being hit by a stoppage time sucker punch.

Boro had already seen their impressive series of four clean sheets ruined when Nicky Maynard struck, but somehow salvaged the situation with an Adam Johnson penalty 10 minutes from time.

But they were caught cold in injury time as Maynard latched onto a long ball pumped forward to seal a deserved 2-1 win for City.

The first real chance came on seven minutes, as Bristol City old boy Leroy Lita – booed with every touch – chased a ball down the right and weaved past two men to get into the box to the byline, then cut back to find space but his six-yard shot from a tight angle flew into the side netting.

And Lita threatened again on 11 minutes, as Mark Yeates curled a ball into the box and the striker did well to bring it down, but as he tried to hold off and twist past two defenders it got lost between his feet. By the time he recovered control the moment had gone.

Boro were starting to gain the upper hand with Yeates and Adam Johnson looking lively down the flanks and Lita and Emnes causing a lot of problems around the box.