Ashley Barnes struck ten minutes from time to keep Albion top of the Championship today.

Barnes, who hails from nearby Bath, fired home from a corner as the Seagulls ground out a 1-0 win at Bristol City.

But the afternoon was also a triumph for the defence, in which Gordon Greer and Lewis Dunk again shone.

The game had looked to be heading for goalless stalemate with the two goalkeepers excelling when required.

Casper Ankergren blocked a close range Jamal Campbell-Ryce effort on 53 minutes after the home winger had been played in by Marvin Elliott.

David James arguably bettered that five minutes later, getting quickly to his feet to block Craig Mackail-Smith's follow-up after failing to hold Ryan Harley's initial drive.

The lively Craig Noone thumped a 25-yard volley narrowly over James's crossbar.

Albion also had to get through plenty of defending and Gary Dicker did well to block a goalbound Marvin Elliott shot.

Dicker later had a drive pushed away from the top corner by James.

But it was from the resulting flag kick, delivered by sub Will Buckley from the right, that Barnes struck from close range after Inigo Calderon's flick on helped cause goalmouth chaos.

Albion looked like seeing it through comfortably from then on.

But there was one final scare as Ankergren flew to his left to make a super save from Brett Pitman's drive in the third and final added minute.