Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder happy with attitude of Blades

The point, coupled with Fleetwood’s victory over Scunthorpe, extended United’s lead over third place to eight points with 11 games remaining but it could have been even better, after Wilder’s side stormed into a 2-0 lead after just 11 minutes.

But they were twice pegged back by play-off chasing Dale on a challenging, sand-covered pitch and Wilder said: “I’m pleased with a point to keep our unbeaten run going but disappointed with our defending and some aspects of our game.

“I thought they were better than us, with and without the ball, and when you don’t play well you have to dig in and get something out of the game.

“A point is just reward for that attitude.”

United looked set for a comfortable afternoon when Mark Duffy put them ahead after five minutes. Dale goalkeeper Ben Wilson picked up a back-pass from Keith Keane and when Paul Coutts touched the resulting free-kick into Duffy’s path, the Liverpudlian curled the ball perfectly past Wilson to send 3,500 travelling Blades wild.

They were in dreamland six minutes later when Daniel Lafferty scored what must be United’s goal of the season.

John Fleck’s free-kick was only half-cleared by Ian Henderson and Lafferty let fly from 25 yards, his sweet left-footed effort arrowing into Wilson’s top corner.

It was all downhill for United from there, in terms of scoreline and performance. Steven Davies, the former Blades loanee, halved the deficit with a smart finish, despite suspicions of offside, and Matty Lund deservedly dragged Keith Hill’s hosts back on level terms after the break when his powerful header beat Simon Moore.

United went ahead again when Billy Sharp volleyed home his 24th of his season, following good work from Chris Basham, but another Blades loanee, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, had the final say when United’s defence switched off once more, Jake Wright and Lafferty both committed to the block and Mendez-Laing finished well after dummying cleverly.

United return to action tomorrow, when they take on Oxford.

Rochdale: Wilson, McNulty, McGahey, Lund, Mendez-Laing, Rathbone (Camps 79), Keane (Noble-Lazarus 58), Davies (Vincenti 70), Allen Cannon, Henderson. Unused substitutes:Thompson, Logan, Morley, Kitching.

Sheffield United: Moore, Fleck, O’Connell (Carruthers 46), Basham, Basham, Sharp, Wright, Coutts, Hanson (Ebanks-Landell 57), Freeman, Duffy (Lavery 84), Lafferty. Unused substitutes:Long, Done, Wilson, O’Shea.

Referee: S Stockbridge (Tyne and Wear).