All the practice can pay off at times – says Bristol City ace Hartley

Bristol City midfielder Paul Hartley is living proof that practice really can make perfect.

Signed as a free agent after being released by Scottish Premier League giants Celtic during the summer, the 32-year-old play-maker has wasted no time in confirming his reputation as a model professional since arriving at Ashton Gate.

An assiduous trainer, the Scotland international star is often to be seen on the training ground practising set-piece routines long after his team-mates have departed for warm showers and home.

Bristol City fans have been quick to appreciate Hartley's ability at free kicks and corners, but they were unsure just how good he was until seven minutes before the end of last Saturday's Coca-Cola Championship fixture against West Brom at the Hawthorns.

Trailing 4-0 and desperately in need of a consolation, City fans at least had something to cheer when Hartley stepped up and, with a smooth swish of his right boot, deposited a free kick from a central position into the top right-hand corner of Scott Carson's net.

It was a stunning goal, one which identified Hartley as a more than worthy successor to David Noble and Michael McIndoe, the last players to score direct from free kicks for City way back in 2008.

Sheffield United have been warned. Should their players commit indiscretions anywhere near their 18-yard box in this afternoon's Championship showdown at Ashton Gate, Hartley will be quite prepared to punish them.

He recalled: "Even though I hardly ever took free kicks at Celtic, it was still something I practised almost every day.

"It's something you need to work on all the time if you want to improve and I've spent a long time just kicking balls and trying to perfect the technique during my career.

"I took free kicks and corners at Hearts and, on occasions, the practice you put in does pay off.

"It's something I've been happy to take on since I came down here and I was pleased to see that one go in against West Brom. I'd gone close with a few like that earlier in the season and it was about time I put one in."

Hartley is also more than happy to accept the responsibility of taking penalties. He scored from the spot on the opening day of the season at Preston North End and will again step up if City are awarded a penalty today.

He said: "I've said all along I like to take penalties, because I'm always confident of scoring from them.

"Again, it's something you have to work on in training and I do stay behind to do a little bit extra after most of the other boys have gone."

Given that last weekend's 4-1 defeat in the West Midlands sent City spiralling down to tenth in the table, Hartley believes he and his team-mates are now embarking upon a crucial phase of the Championship campaign.

City welcome the Blades this afternoon, host struggling Ipswich Town the following week and will hope to be back in the play-off mix by the time they negotiate away games against Leicester and Doncaster.

"It is very important that we pick up points in these two home games," warned Hartley. "We have a busy period coming up over Christmas and the new year and we need to be either in the play-off places or very close to them by the time January arrives. Some people may be reading too much into the West Brom result. We've only been that poor twice this season, the other time being against Cardiff, and I think we can put it down as a one-off.

"If you look at the games we've played, I think we have been very consistent and difficult to beat.

"We need to get back to that against Sheffield United and I'm sure we will."