How Sheffield United trumped Hull City in Yorkshire derby's mental tests – eventually
Unsurprisingly given how many of his former players they have in their squad, Chris Wilder is a big fan of Hull City's mentality.
After waiting outside the media room as Oli McBurnie held court, Sheffield United’s manager referenced how long it dragged on before quickly adding: "He's got personality and character, I quite like that."
So has the entire Tigers squad, which is why they sit above more talented teams, sixth in the Championship with four games remaining, and way above Wilder's Blades.
For 75 minutes it was leading Hull to an important victory over a side who outplayed them, but lacked their focus in the key moments.
Ultimately, though, a couple of slips in that mentality – and a shrewd Wilder substitution – were behind the Blades' 2-1 win. Now Hull's character will be needed again so a hard-to-take defeat does not linger into Saturday's visit of Birmingham City.
"It felt just like one of them games we were going to win 1-0 again and then the referee had other ideas," said McBurnie in a typically frank press conference. "But it's what it is."
You could understand the frustration and debate the decisions but Hull tempted fate twice too often. They should know better.
Bad refereeing happens in every Championship match. Hull left the door too wide open to it.
McBurnie's cool fifth-minute goal showed where the teams were mentally.
Sydie Peck sloppily gave the ball to Liam Millar, and when he slipped in McBurnie, the striker pounced – ruthless, yet respectful as he refused to celebrate in his first Bramall Lane game since taking off the red-and-white stripes.
That set up the kind of counter-attacking game the Tigers relish but the Blades were fuzzy-minded – too many passes like Peck's, too many finishes lacking conviction. Hull looked more likely next scorers.
Even when the counter-attack from Femi Seriki’s slack pass lost momentum, McBurnie self-created an overhead kick which McGuinness headed off the line. Matt Crooks curled wide a minute later.
John Egan cleared Andre Brooks’ header off his line, but mostly the hosts shot weakly at Ivor Pandur.
The best example was when Gustavo Hamer nicked the ball off Mo Belloumi as he went to shoot from the edge of the area. In the blink of an eye it was with Patrick Bamford but his strike was central and tame.
"We felt comfortable," said McBurnie. "We were limiting them to scraps, really. I could only see the game going one way."
Hull posed less second-half threat but the crowd's angst grew. Callum O'Hare's substitution was booed.
Three minutes later John Lundstram, another on his first return to Bramall Lane, got tangled up with Mark McGuinness off the field.
McGuiness took exception to where the midfielder tried to place his foot as he rose, and shoved him. Handbags and cards came out.
"This guy attacked him," said Hull coach Sergej Jakirovic. "So when somebody attacks you, you will stay down and kick me one more time? Like this song by Britney Spears?
"You can pretend you are calm but who here didn't fight in his life?"
Regardless, Lundstram was now one bad tackle away from a red card.
He lunged at Brooks in the centre circle. It was not up there with his Blades red card at Brighton, and certainly not his Old Firm one; Brooks – referee John, not Andre – broke his stride pattern getting in the way, but a player of his experience ought to have composed himself better.
As for the penalty, it seemed McBurnie fouled Bamford, Kyle Joseph fouled Jairo Riedewald and Japhet Tanganga fouled Paddy McNair. One of the first two was penalised.
"You'd struggle to find something there that you don't find in every Championship game ten times in a game," said McBurnie. He was right.
"Everyone does it," is a frustration, certainly, but not a defence.
"Every pre-match meeting they say we can ask the fourth referee if we have any questions,” said Jakirovic. “But it's like I ask this wall."
Wilder added: "I can trump what he's got (in terms of grievances). But we're all talking about it all the time."
When Hamer buried the penalty Wilder threw on striker Danny Ings for defender McGuinness. Three minutes later, he who dared, won, Ings controlling and finishing more like the seasoned scorer he is than a man doubling his Blades goal tally.
It stung Hull even more than it encouraged the Blades but without the banned Lundstram, they must react the right way on Saturday.
"Dust ourselves down and we go again next week," said McBurnie.
Sheffield United: A Davies; Seriki (Hoever 63), Tanganga, McGuinness (Ings 85), Burrows; Peck (Riedewald 70), Rothwell; Brooks, O'Hare (Chong 63), Hamer; Bamford.
Unused substitutes: Arblaster, Hjelde, Bindon, Cannon, Faxon.
Hull City: Pandur; Drameh (McNair 20), Ajayi, Egan, Coyle; Hadziahmetovic (Dowell 87), Lundstram; Belloumi (Joseph 70), Crooks, Millar (Gelhardt 70); McBurnie (Hughes 87).
Unused substitutes: Phillips, Jacob, Gyabi, McCarthy.
Referee: J Brooks (Melton Mowbray).
BRAMALL LANE TALKING POINTS
Welcome back: Oli McBurnie got a warm reception in his first Bramall Lane game as an ex-Blade. "It was really appreciated," he said. "I spent five great years at this club and the way the fans treated me in good and bad spells and the way the manager was with me and my family really stick with you."
Perspective: Growing up in Mostar during a war, you should see football in its proper light, and Hull’s Sergej Jakirovic does. He got angry when “one bald guy tried to provoke me with his daughter” but afterwards it was just “normal football atmosphere.” He wants his team to get the play-off place they deserve. “If not,” he smiled, “we have a two-month holiday.”
Credit: One-nil down late on, the hosts could easily have phoned this game in.