Just 72 seconds were on the clock when Sunderland’s goalkeeper reached down to his left and made a stunning stop to keep out Kieffer Moore’s header.
But when his teammates congratulated him on the save after Sunderland’s come from behind victory to secure promotion to the Premier League, he didn’t know what they were talking about!
“A few of the lads said, ‘What a save in the first minute’ or whatever, and I was like, ‘What save in the first minute?’,” laughed Patterson.
“I don’t really remember the save to be honest, but I’ll obviously watch it back at the highlights and see it I don’t really remember it, but I’m happy to help when I can.”
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Patterson came to Sunderland’s rescue again in the second half at Wembley on Saturday.
With the Black Cats trailing 1-0, Dennis Cirkin’s defensive error presented Sheffield United substitute Andre Brooks with a glorious opportunity to what would have almost certainly wrapped up the win, only for Patterson to make a second superb stop, this time with his feet.
“I don’t really know what I was doing to be honest. I’ve dived the wrong way and I don’t often make saves with my feet, but thankfully it didn’t go in the net,” he said.
“I like to try and keep calm with it and let the boys do what they do and I don’t really think too much into it, but it ended up being a big save in a crucial moment and it spurred the lads on to go and grab a couple of goals.”
Patterson then watched from the other end of the field as his teammates completed the remarkable late turnaround at Wembley, capped by Tommy Watson’s 95th minute winner.
“It seemed to go in the goal so slow. I couldn’t believe it, and then it hit the net and obviously I was facing all the Sunderland fans and it just erupted,” he said.
“I was just like, ‘Oh my god’. It was just incredible. I can’t even describe how I felt when it went in.”
