Sheffield United 0 Preston NE 0: Morgan sure Blades have the nerve despite poor form

United finished fifth in the League One table after Saturday’s goalless draw at home to Preston North End, and have been paired with Yeovil Town in the semi-final.

Morgan’s charges will entertain the Somerset side at Bramall Lane on Friday (7.45pm), with the return leg at Huish Park next Monday at 1.30pm.

The winner will then face either Brentford or Swindon Town in the divisional showpiece next month at Wembley – one year on from United’s penalty shoot-out heartbreak against Huddersfield Town.

“The first thing I said to the players in the dressing room, was congratulations on gaining a play-off place,” said Morgan, after the stalemate against Simon Grayson’s North End.

“Because, over the course of the season, we have had to work damn hard to do that. Everyone sees a club the size of Sheffield United, and assumes that we have a huge budget. But that’s not the case.

“What we do have, is a group of players who have worked really hard to get this far. They deserve it.”

By Morgan’s own admission, however, Saturday’s clash with North End, and last Tuesday’s defeat at Crewe Alexandra, were games that United could have done without.

United’s media department marked the occasion of the regular season’s final home game with a special 3D programme, but United’s performance at times was more one-dimensional.

There were positives, though – young Joe Ironside, handed his first start in United colours, was a constant threat to the Preston back four, and turned in a performance full of invention and industry that belied his years.

Callum McFadzean, too, showed glimpses of his potential, and Darryl Westlake caught the eye against the tricky Lee Holmes, who was Preston’s biggest threat.

“I wanted to do that for the last two games,” said Morgan, who saw substitute Chris Porter’s goal disallowed just moments after being introduced.

“I knew we had a play-off place secure, so I wanted to see what each player has to offer and, to their credit, they are all now very much in my thoughts.

“It’ll be a difficult task now to pick 11 names on Friday, which is what you want. You don’t always want the same 11 names on the teamsheet every week.

“We have a hungry group of young players who have made the step up to first team level well.

“We have a good mix of youth and experience – we now have to mix it together, and send out a team capable of delivering us promotion.”

As far as play-off preparations go, this was hardly the most inspiring – and United now enter their second successive post-seasoncampaign on the back of two defeats and two draws.

But for George Long, however, that record could have been worse. United’s teenage goalkeeper had to be at his acrobatic best to claw away Jack King’s goalbound header. Team-mate Holmes then hit the bar with a curling free-kick.

“I’m not worried about our form,” said Morgan, despite just one in eight. “You only have to look at the Champions League. It’s a knockout competition now, and whichever team holds their nerve will see the job through.

“It takes a lot of character, after going so close last season, to come back again. So we’ve reacted well to that massive disappointment. We have a hungry group who want to finish the job off, and get this club back into the Championship.”

Sheffield United: Long, Westlake, Maguire, Collins, Hill, Murphy, Doyle, McDonald (Whitehouse, 76), McFadzean (Robson, 71), Ironside, Kitson (Porter, 60). Unused substitutes: Forte, Chapell, Barry, Coyne.

Preston: Rudd, Keane (Procter, 79), Huntington, Wright (Foster, 46), Buchanan, Hayhurst (Monakana, 65), Mousinho, Welsh, Wroe, Holmes, King. Unused substitutes: Stuckmann, Cummins, Byrom, Garner.

Referee: S Rushton (Staffordshire).

Man of the match: Joe Ironside.