In-form Evans delivers points for Blades and earns Wilson’s praise

The £3m striker’s fifth goal in as many games – nine in total for the season – with eight minutes left was enough to see off neighbours Chesterfield who probably did enough to deserve a point.

Welshman Evans picked the ball up 30 yards from goal, beat two defenders and fired home from 15 yards out. It was a relief for United who had a Stephen Quinn effort ruled out for offside, and the Blades midfielder also saw Greg Fleming pull off an impressive injury-time save.

The struggling Spireites had hit the crossbar in the 62nd minute from Leon Clarke’s overhead kick, while even the introduction of former Blades striker Jack Lester – after more than two months on the sidelines with a broken arm – could not produce a leveller.

“We worked extremely hard today, we knew we would have to in a game like this,” said Blades manager Danny Wilson. “Irrespective of league positions you know what you are going to get in a local derby, but I have to say Chesterfield looked anything but a bottom of table team, they were excellent at times today.

“Ched (Evans) is a quality player, he is always a threat. His goals to games ratio just ratio is top notch, he is always capable of getting a goal out of nothing as he did today,” explained Wilson.

“We thought we had scored when Quinny got in but it was ruled out for offside, we all thought he had timed his run perfectly, so when Ched scored with that superb strike we were all delighted.

“Our shape and discipline was very good and we looked menacing at times, on another day we would have scored more than one goal with the number of chances we created.”

Chesterfield: Fleming, Talbot, Trotman, Ford, Griffiths, Mendy, Johnson (Westcarr 86), Allott,Obadeyi (Morgan 88), Bowery, Clarke (Lester 87). Unused substitutes: Whitaker, Mattis.

Sheffield United: Simonsen, Lowton, Maguire, Collins, Williams, Williamson (Flynn 74), McAllister, Doyle, Quinn, Evans, Porter (Ertl 89). Unused substitutes: Jean-Francois, Long, McDonald.

Referee: D Sheldrake (Surrey).

Blades an of the match: Ched Evans.