Paul Heckingbottom says officials cost Sheffield United three valuable points at Blackpool

ANGRY SHEFFIELD UNITED manager Paul Heckingbottom admitted to feeling very hard done by after claiming that two disallowed goals for his Blades side should have both been given in Wednesday night's 0-0 draw at Blackpool.
By Leon Wobschall
Published 16th Mar 2022, 22:40 BST
Updated 16th Mar 2022, 22:42 BST

Sander Berge found the net in the first half, only for an officials flag to rule out the strike and a 'goal' 75 minutes from time from Oli Norwood, whose drive took a big deflection before creeping into the net was also chalked off by a linesman due to offside.

Instead, United had to settle for a point on a night when they dropped two places to ninth spot in the Championship ahead of Saturday's South Yorkshire derby with Barnsley.

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United - who produced a much-improved defensive performance after Saturday's 4-1 loss at Coventry - are a point behind the team now occupying the final play-off spot in QPR.

Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom, pictured on the touchline at Blackpool. Picture: PA.Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom, pictured on the touchline at Blackpool. Picture: PA.
Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom, pictured on the touchline at Blackpool. Picture: PA.

On the two disallowed strikes, Heckingbottom, who handed a late debut to Danish striker Will Osula in a game which saw United's winless away sequence extend to four matches, said: "Sander was onside in the first half and with the disallowed goal in the second half, I have watched it back and there is not one of our players between the goal and the (Blackpool) goalkeeper and maybe two Blackpool players.

"There are so many games where you are desperate for the linesman to make a decision and tonight, they have made two which they did not need to get involved in.

"We deserved and earned three points and it is taken away from us."

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"Neil (Critchley - Blackpool boss) has got them going and they were on the longest goalscoring run and it is a while since they had a blank, so we knew it was going to be tough. They are on a good run and keep you honest.

"We needed the character to be robust and correct and earn everything we fought for and we started well in the first half and I was pleased.

"In the second half, we were okay and then lost our way and we had to make a change to get a little bit more control in the game. But while the little moments of quality we were looking for did not quite happen, the set-plays worked and we should have been going away from here with a 2-0 win.

"We have got that mindset at the minute where when things are going against us as they are, we have got to stay in it and fight and scrap and pick up points until we start getting players back.

"I am not going to say a bad word about the players when they are giving that and then getting let down by the officials. It is tough to take."

Related topics:Paul HeckingbottomBlackpoolBladesSander Berge