Middlesbrough signed giant centre-back Aden Flint from Bristol City this summer for just £7m and the goalscoring defender got off the mark for his new club in their 3-0 win over Sheffield United on Tuesday evening.

Boro went into the game having secured a point with two late goals away at Millwall in their season opener and Tony Pulis's side blew the Blades away, going 3-0 up after just 25 minutes.

Danish striker Martin Braithwaite opened the scoring after a corner made its way to the back post where he controlled and poked the ball home. Just 11 minutes later, another corner from the same side was met by Flint, who overpowered his marker John Egan to head home and open his account for Boro.

At just over 6ft 5in, the 29-year-old has made a name for himself with his goalscoring exploits in recent seasons. In the 2014/15 season he netted 14 goals in 46 League One appearances, the sort of numbers that plenty of strikers would be more than happy to achieve.

His nine goals and two assists for City last season led Pulis to splash the cash on Flint in a deal that looks set to be a match made in heaven.

It wasn't just Flint's goal that made his performance so impressive though; defensively he was a rock and helped Boro to a clean sheet, winning six aerial duels and making five clearances.

The only negative for the Nottingham-born defender was a poor touch which allowed Sheffield striker Leon Clarke through on goal, but Flint's blushes were spared by his keeper Darren Randolph before the big man got back to head away the rebound.

Flint's Boro career is only two games in but he has shown already that he can be a huge hit at the Riverside and with his new boss Pulis. Having lost to Aston Villa in the playoff semi-final at the end of last season, the Boro fans will be hoping they can take the next step this term and secure promotion back to the Premier League.

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