Sheffield United 2 Bradford City 2: Derby duo are both left with cause to be pleased

Sheffield United manager 
Nigel Clough refused to criticise his players after the Blades tossed away two points against Yorkshire rivals Bradford City
Bradford City's James Hanson, collides with Sheffield United's Neill Collins, and Harry MaguireBradford City's James Hanson, collides with Sheffield United's Neill Collins, and Harry Maguire
Bradford City's James Hanson, collides with Sheffield United's Neill Collins, and Harry Maguire

The home side seemed to be cruising at half-time after goals from winger Jamie Murphy and centre-half Harry Maguire gave them a deserved 2-0 lead.

But the Bantams clawed their way back into the contest with two goals in seven minutes early in the second half.

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First, the influential Gary Jones saw his deflected shot wrong-foot Blades goalkeeper George Long, who then failed to deal with Jones’s free-kick and James Hanson netted an equaliser.

The draw leaves United just one point off the League One relegation places, but former Derby County chief Clough was delighted with the Blades’ derby display.

“I am not disappointed in the performance, only the result,” said Clough, who could only watch as his side spurned several late chances to grab all three points.

“Many elements of the game were very good.

“The turning point in the game was the deflected goal.

“There’s absolutely nothing we can do about that; without that we would have won the game comfortably.

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“When you get pegged back from 2-0 to 2-2 you think they would be pressing for the winner, but it was all us and the response was magnificent.

“The only disappointment was the final bit of quality around the penalty area to get that winning goal. We had enough chances and situations.

“A little break in the penalty area, similar to theirs, wouldn’t go amiss; we will get one sooner or later.

“It was a good Yorkshire derby, a cracking game. I wish it had been three points, but I can’t ask for any more from the players than what they put in.”

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United were always a threat down the flanks, with Murphy and Ryan Flynn driving at City’s full-backs.

Losing Kyel Reid – stretchered off with a knee injury which looks set to sideline the winger for some time – was a huge blow for the Bantams, who had claims for a penalty when debutant Aaron Mclean tumbled in the area.

“Kyel’s got a really nasty pain in his knee, which looks quite serious,” said City assistant manager Steve Parkin.

“It’s disappointing. While we have a good squad, we have seven or eight injuries to key players.

“He twisted his knee when he went to receive the ball.

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“Unfortunately for Kyel, his knee has got stuck in the ground and he said that he felt a sharp pain at the time.

“He was in a lot of pain then and he unfortunately still is. We can only wait and let things settle down before seeing what the injury actually entails but, certainly, it looks quite serious.”

The Blades – who had penalty claims of their own late on when substitute Connor Coady went down under Nathan Doyle’s challenge – also suffered an injury scare when Jose Baxter limped off, but Clough revealed he will be fit for Sunday’s FA Cup fourth-round tie with Fulham.

“In terms of how we want to play at home, this is exactly how we want to play, with the crowd on the edge of their seats,” said Clough.

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“As much as we can, when Fulham come next week we want to play like that – take the game to them, be positive.

“Bradford won a corner with about five minutes to go, and it was the first time I had looked left in the game for quite some time. We could have won by five.”

The Blades are chasing Scotland Under-21 midfielder Stefan Scougall and are aiming to make a £150,000 raid on Premier League side Livingston.

“Yes, we have made an enquiry about him, on a permanent basis,” confirmed Clough, who included four 20-year-olds on the substitutes’ bench and who also hopes to complete two loan signings in the next 48 hours.

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As for Bradford, who have now gone nine games without a win, manager Phil Parkinson hopes to bring in a left-back this month to help bolster his squad.

Despite being depleted, the Bantams showed resilience and an appetite for a derby scrap on Saturday.

James Hanson headed against the crossbar from Jones’s corner and Carl McHugh’s follow-up was then blocked on the line by Blades midfielder Stephen McGinn.

“It’s been a really hard day’s work for us, but we are delighted to come out of it with something after half-time,” said Parkin.

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“We said at half-time, 2-0 is never an easy score for any team. Once you do score, you can easily get the momentum, which we did. At 2-1, it gave our lads a lot of spirit, a lot of heart.

“Nigel (Clough) has adjusted a few things, they are not trying to play out from the back as much. They are a little bit more direct and get it out wide quickly to two players who are in form.

“We knew it would be a tough test and the lads stood up well.

Sheffield United gave it everything they had to get the goal they needed (at 2-2).”

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Parkin was quick to praise veteran midfielder Jones, the former Rochdale and Barnsley man who was key to City’s revival.

“Gary is very important,” said Parkin.

“He is not necessarily a talker, but he is pivotal in the way he plays the game. I thought his set-plays were absolutely different class.

“His desire and endeavour to win is faultless, most of the time.

“We are delighted that at 36 he is playing as hard now as he was 15 years ago.”

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Sheffield United: Long, McMahon, Maguire, Collins, Hill, Flynn, Doyle, McGinn (Coady 88), Murphy, Baxter (Miller 80), Paynter (Porter 61). Unused substitutes: Howard, McFadzean, Whitehouse, Kennedy.

Bradford City: McLaughlin, Darby, McArdle, Bates, McHugh, Thompson, Jones, Kennedy (Doyle 72), Reid (Yeates 31), Mclean (Gray 90), Hanson. Unused substitutes: Jameson, Oliver, Taylor, Graham.

Referee: R East (Wiltshire).