SHEFFIELD, England (Reuters) -Sheffield United’s James McAtee scored with a stunning strike to secure a 1-0 home win over Brentford on Saturday o give Chris Wilder his first victory in his second stint as the Yorkshire team’s manager and only their second this season.
The precious three points were not enough for Wilder’s team to climb off the bottom of the table, where they have eight points after 16 games. The Bees are 11th on 19 points.
“He’s one of our own, he’s one of our own, Chrissy Wilder, he’s one of our own,” Blades’ fans sang near the final whistle.
The 21-year-old McAtee, on loan from Manchester City, lit up rain-lashed Bramall Lane with his first Premier League goal just before halftime when he curled a left-foot shot from the right side of the box into the far corner from Gustavo Hamer’s pass.
United had several chances to go 2-0 up, including captain Anel Ahmedhodzic’s narrow miss from a free-kick shortly after the interval. Substitute Anis Ben Slimane had a terrific chance but fired his second-half shot straight at keeper Mark Flekken.
Brentford, missing their injured top scorer this season Bryan Mbeumo, lost for the fourth time in five league games.
“It was a difficult game. Fair play to Sheffield United,” Brentford manager Thomas Frank told the BBC.
“They did well in a game that was even and tight. I felt there would be a magic moment that would decide the game and that came from Sheffield United and McAtee.”
Wilder, 56, returned to United on Tuesday following the sacking of Paul Heckingbottom after last week’s 5-0 defeat at Burnley. The Blades lost 2-0 at home to Liverpool on Wednesday.
(Reporting by Lori Ewing; editing by Clare Fallon and Ken Ferris)
