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Huddersfield Town 0 Sheffield United 1: Wilson is earning his place in Blades’ hearts
Neil Collins scores the Blades goal
WHEN Danny Wilson first walked into Bramall Lane last summer, love and affection were in very short supply.
In fact, Sheffield United supporters were initially so openly hostile to the appointment of a former Wednesdayite as manager that divorce seemed as likely an outcome as any to the bold decision to hand Wilson the reins.
How fitting, therefore, that his first Valentine’s Day in charge should see the cementing of relations between the United manager and his now devoted flock.
Okay, chanting ‘you used to be s***e, but now you’re all right’ is hardly akin to saying it with flowers.
Nor is the little ditty sung countless times last night by the 3,857 visitors from South Yorkshire something you would expect to read in a Mills & Boon novel.
But, nevertheless, the manner in which Wilson was hailed at the final whistle as he celebrated victory at the end of a hugely entertaining White Rose derby.
The grateful reaction of the travelling masses was understandable with United having just claimed three points that, come the season’s end, could prove vital in the League One promotion race.
Not only did the win, sealed by Neill Collins’s fifth-minute goal, ensure the Blades had exacted revenge for a 3-0 hammering against Huddersfield Town earlier in the season but, more importantly, it meant second place had been wrestled back from the grasp of Steel City rivals Wednesday.
Whether Wilson’s men will still be in possession of the second automatic promotion slot come May 5 remains to be seen. Wednesday and Huddersfield will have plenty to say about that in the coming weeks.
But what last night did serve to underline is just why United have been looking more and more like the real deal in the promotion stakes.
Dominant in central midfield and enterprising in attack, the visitors also showed a steely determination when put under pressure by a Huddersfield side who gave everything.
In the fixture between the sides at Bramall Lane in September, Lee Clark’s Town had all but claimed the three points before half-time with three goals.
With steadier finishing last night, the Blades could have done the same after carving out three gilt-edged opportunities during an entertaining first half.
They took the first of those when Collins nodded in from close range after Henry Maguire had headed Ryan Flynn’s corner back across the six-yard box for his defensive partner.
But when it came to applying the finishing touch to the next two opportunities, Wilson’s side were found wanting.
First, a swift break on nine minutes saw United enjoy a three-on-two overlap that left Stephen Quinn with the seemingly simple task of playing Richard Cresswell clear only for the midfielder to badly overhit his pass and allow Alex Smithies to race from his line.
It was a big let-off for Town, as was the 37th-minute move that ended with Smithies, making his first start for almost 11 months after a serious knee injury, blocking Ched Evans’s shot and the ball bouncing towards Cresswell.
A second goal seemed certain only for the former Leeds United striker to be denied by a wonderful scrambling save from Smithies.
The block drew a deserved ovation from the home fans, who until then had seen their side largely outplayed by the Blades.
As if inspired by Smithies’s heroics, however, Town finally found their attacking feet and were unfortunate not to draw level in the closing stages of the first half.
Alan Lee was the first to go close following a smart turn and shot that Steve Simonsen did well to keep out. Then, after the United defence had only partially cleared one of Sean Morrison’s bullet-style throw-ins, the ball fell to Jordan Rhodes, who drilled a low shot against a post from 15 yards.
Oscar Gobern then rounded off the flurry of chances for the home side by heading wide despite being unmarked when meeting Ward’s inviting corner.
Town continued to press after the break and Rhodes was unfortunate to see a snapshot deflected wide. Morrison then saw a powerful header kept out by Michael Doyle on the line on 70 minutes before Simonsen got down smartly to keep out Rhodes after the normally deadly marksman had been found by Ward just six yards out.
Simonsen also prevented a deflected shot from Morrison reaching the net, much to the relief of Collins who had unwittingly sent the ball goalwards while attempting to clear. Not to be outdone by their hosts, United also continued to create chances of their own.
The visitors could not, however, apply the final touch as Maguire proved 18 minutes from time when he somehow stabbed the ball wide when it seemed easier to score.
It was a bad miss but not one that could spoil an otherwise perfect Valentine’s Day for the Blades that also included neighbours and promotion rivals Wednesday losing at home to Stevenage.
richard.sutcliffe@ypn.co.uk
Huddersfield Town: Smithies; Hunt, McCombe, Morrison, Naysmith; Roberts (Cadamarteri 64), Gobern (Woods 46), Robinson, Ward; Rhodes, Lee (Novak 74). Unused substitutes: Bennett, Higginbotham.
Sheffield United: Simonsen; Lowton, Maguire, Collins, Jean-Francois; Quinn, Doyle, McDonald, Flynn; Cresswell (Porter 82), Evans (Hoskins 89). Unused substitutes: Montgomery, Long, Williams.
Referee: K Friend (Leicestershire).
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