Sheffield United 2 Ipswich Town 0: Blades close in on Premier League return

Goals from Scott Hogan and Jack O’Connell were enough to seal the victory that means the Blades are on their way up.

The more pedantic may still point to the job not quite being done mathematically. But with the gap to Leeds United standing at six points and the Blades also boasting a goal difference that is 13 superior to Marcelo Bielsa’s men, this engrossing two-way Yorkshire scrap is over and the men from Bramall Lane have prevailed.

Which is why the Lane was awash with joy the moment Tim Robinson blew the final whistle.

Victory over an admittedly poor Ipswich Town took United’s points haul since the turn of the year to 44 from 20 games - the highest in the Championship.

It is a run that could yet land the title, this victory taking United ahead of Norwich City ahead of tonight’s clash with Blackburn Rovers at Carrow Road.

Wilder was rightly hailed by the elated home fans in a sell-out crowd of 30,140 for a quite remarkable job, this being his second promotion in three years at the helm of the club he supported as a boy.

The tea-tiime clash had begun with a tangible sense of expectation mixed with nerves that the Championship’s bottom club may yet throw a spanner in the works.

Those fears, however, ebbed away when United made the all-important breakthrough on 24 minutes.

Lovely play by Mark Duffy, such an integral part of this club’s success, saw the ball held up long enough for Jack O’Connell to scamper clear down the left channel.

He then drilled a low cross that allowed Hogan to steal a march on his marker to turn the ball past Dean Gerken.

The hosts almost had a second goal ten minutes later, a quite sublime pass from David McGoldrick against his former club releasing George Baldock.

He darted into the area but a heavy touch allowed Dean Gerken to race from his line and pull off a brave block.

Oliver Norwood also went close with a piledriver of a shot from the edge of the area after being picked out by John Fleck’s corner.

The Northern Ireland international went even closer just after the restart, his free-kick crashing against the post.

McGoldrick then headed narrowly wide from a Norwood cross and it was clear a second goal was coming.

Sure enough, O’Connell rose highest above the Town defence to head home from a corner with 19 minutes remaining.

Cue party scenes all around Bramall Lane as a return to the Premier League after 12 years away was booked.