Preston North End 2 Sheffield United 4: Phillips and Williamson at the double in Blades victory

After a ding-dong battle the visitors edged a hugely entertaining Roses clash.

Blades boss Danny Wilson made three changes, on-loan Blackpool duo Billy Clarke and Matt Phillips coming in, along with Chris Porter. Richard Cresswell, Williamson and Ched Evans dropped to the bench.

For Phillips it proved to be a dream first Blades start as he fired the visitors into the lead after just three minutes.

Latching onto a Kevin McDonald through-ball, Phillips skipped past defender Steve Smith before lashing home clinically from just inside the box.

The visitors dominated early on and Phillips tested goalkeeper Iain Turner soon after, but just before the half-hour mark North End levelled.

Smith crossed from the right and Clarke Carlisle rose highest at the far post to head home, in off the underside of the crossbar.

It didn’t take long for Phillips to strike again, however. Seven minutes before the break the two loan men combined as Clarke played in Phillips who finished crisply.

Both sides traded chances in the early stages of the second half.

Clarke tried his luck from distance for the Blades, but Turner was agile and palmed the ball to safety.

At the other end the dangerous Danny Mayor slid in to meet Iain Hume’s cross, only to see a close-range effort fizz narrowly wide.

Hume did level it up just past the hour mark though.

The former Barnsley striker pounced from inside the box as Smith was again the North End provider.

With 20 minutes to go the game was now evenly poised, with again both sides going close to bagging a third goal.

Clarke fired just over for the Blades, while Preston responded with Paul Coutts forcing Steve Simonsen into a smart stop.

Thankfully it was the Blades who registered next, and a cracking strike it was to make it 3-2 in the 74th minute.

Williamson, barely eight minutes after coming on, took aim from 20 yards and his shot was far too powerful and accurate for Turner in the Preston goal.

Williamson then repeated his trick with three minutes to go as he coolly slotted home a pinpoint cross from Clarke.

Preston North End: Turner, Gray, Carlisle, Hume, Coutts, Proctor (Tsoumou 64), Nicholson (Daley 58), McLean, Smith, Mayor, Alexander. Unused substitutes: McLaughlin, Ashbee, Arestidou.

Sheffield United: Simonsen, Lowton, Montgomery, Collins, Maguire, Porter, Clarke (Cresswell 89), McDonald, Quinn (Williamson 66), Williams, Phillips. Unused substitutes: Jean-Francois, Evans, Long.

Referee: C Webster.