Sheffield United 3 Derby County 1: Billy Sharp brace gives Blades full reward for effort at Bramall Lane

Chris Wilder’s side were good value for their most prized scalp since their return to the second tier and even withstood a late rally from Derby after they pulled a goal back in stoppage time.

The Blades needed two huge slices of luck, however, to claim the win.

First, Derby goalkeeper Scott Carson kicked a back pass straight into the path of Billy Sharp who returned it with interest with a first-time shot into the unguarded goal on four minutes.

Then shortly before the break, Johnny Russell fired past his own goalkeeper when trying to clear as Caolan Lavery shaped to shoot after Keiron Freeman’s cut back.

Derby carried a threat in the first half, attacking the channels behind United’s back three.

But whenever they got too close, either the towering presence of Jack O’Connell was there to deal with it, or busy midfielder John Fleck was tracking back to make a superb challenge.

The visitors did, though, make it a nervy end to proceedings for the Blades when substitute Craig Bryson ghosted in to head Bradley Johnson’s cross beyond Jamal Blackman.

But that urgency from the Rams came too late and only served to heighten the drama as Carson went forward for a corner and was nowhere to be seen when Sharp latched onto a clearance and steered the ball into the empty net for a second time.