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Sheffield United 3 QPR 0
BILLY SHARP feels a wanted player again and is determined to reward the faith shown in him by Sheffield United manager Kevin Blackwell with 20 goals this season.
Sharp endured a frustrating time after Bryan Robson brought him back to Bramall Lane last summer from Scunthorpe, where he had scored 53 league goals in two seasons since being sold by the Blades.
It cost them around 1.5m to retrieve the striker they had sold for 100,000 exactly three years ago but Sharp could never cement a place in the side under Robson as scoring at the next level up proved difficult.
It was not until Blackwell took over that Sharp got a regular run towards the back end of a frustrating campaign last time but on Saturday the 22-year-old scored his first hat-trick for his boyhood heroes.
His first senior goal in front of the Kop completed the treble in the 51st minute and Sharp said:
"This was definitely my best display in a Blades shirt. My dream has always been to play for Sheffield United and score at the Kop end so to get my hat-trick there was fantastic. I got a little bit lucky with a ricochet for the hat-trick but I'm delighted and I'm buzzing.
"The manager has believed in me and played me and that has given me the belief to go out there and perform. The faith he has shown in me I think is the big thing. I came in on a high but last season did not go as planned. It's an ambitious target but I want to get 20 goals every season and, hopefully, I can do it this time."
Blackwell explained the way in which he has brought Sharp back to his effervescent best by saying: "We are all human and you do need to put a smile on people's faces and make them feel a million dollars even sometimes through gritted teeth.
"With Billy, though, if he keeps scoring like that I would have paid 10m for him and would have been right to have done that.
"Billy can, like all youngsters when things are going right, get carried away and become a touch arrogant but he wants to learn and be successful for Sheffield United.
"Billy came back to his former club and the pressure was on him every time he went out to play. Sometimes you have to be a little bit more calm and calculated and step back a little bit. He didn't get a run to allow him to establish himself and sometimes it takes time to step up and become more accomplished and understand your role. He's only 22 and Billy's reputation as a striker is renowned in the lower divisions but he has to got to do it now as he moves up. His performance today was the best since I have been here."
QPR simply could not cope with the striker and the nouveau riche of the Championship have a long way to go to live up to their reputation of being one of the favourites to go up.
Blackwell's side began at a high tempo and Sharp dived forward to home the opener in the third minute after strike partner Darius Henderson had flicked on a long throw from Greg Halford.
Ten minutes later and Sharp's pace took him clear of Kaspars Gorkss and he slotted the ball past Radek Cerny with ease after Gary Speed had wrestled possession off former Blade Mikele Leigertwood near halfway and played a beautiful through ball with the outside of his left foot.
There was no weakness in any section of the Blades, right-back Sun Jihai particularly impressive with his attacking forays, and even the enforced withdrawal of captain Chris Morgan with concussion did not weaken them.
Ugo Ehiogu slotted in and not only played a part in the 51st-minute third goal, putting Cerny under pressure at an inswinging corner from Michael Tonge, allowing Sharp to pounce inside the six-yard box as three defenders panicked, but in making the tackle of the match.
It came as Emmanuel Ledesma struck Paddy Kenny's right-hand post and, as Dexter Blackstock shaped to knock home the rebound, Ehiogu made a brilliant tackle from behind.
Kenny also blocked from Blackwood and went full length to keep out a free-kick from Real Madrid loan signing Daniel Parejo but Blackwell had such confidence in his Blades that instead of attempting to shore up the defence, he went back on the attack by bringing on David Cotterill on the right and Danny Webber for Sharp, who earned his standing ovation.
Sheffield United: Kenny, Sun Jihai, Morgan (Ehiogu 35), Kilgallon, Naysmith; Halford (Cotterill 66), Tonge, Speed, Quinn; Henderson, Sharp (Webber 83). Unused substitutes: Stead, Spring.
Queens Park Rangers: Cerby, Connolly, Hall, Gorkss, Delaney; Ledesma, Leigertwood, Parejo, Cook (Alberti 81); Blackstock, Balanta (Di Carmine 46). Unused substitutes: Camp, Stewart, Mahon.
Referee: G Laws (Tyne and Wear). Match Focus
Hero: Billy Sharp
His first hat-trick for the Blades crowned a stunning performance from the one-time Blades reject – his pace and, surprisingly, hold-up play proving far too much for the QPR defence to cope with in strike partnership with Darius Henderson.
Villain: Daniel Parejo
The teenage play-maker on a season-long loan from Real Madrid oozed class but obviously has designs on becoming a referee, too, judging by the way he questioned virtually every decision.
Key moment
64th minute: Brilliant tackle from Ugo Ehiogu prevents Dexter Blackstock knocking home a rebound off a post and killed any hopes of a QPR comeback.
Ref watch
Graham Laws: Issued just a couple of bookings but perhaps should have put young Parejo in his place.
Verdict
This was probably the best performance by a Blades side under Kevin Blackwell and he was fully rewarded for keeping the same side which had lost the opener in stoppage time at Birmingham.
Quote of the day
If he keeps scoring like that I'd have paid 10m for him and would have been right to have done that.
Blades manager Kevin Blackwell talking about hat-trick hero Billy Sharp.
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Weather for Yorkshire
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
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Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 23 C
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