Sheffield United 1 Bristol City 1: Flat Blades pay the price for part-time showing

For about eight minutes – seven after Gustavo Hamer and Rhian Brewster came off the bench to concot Tyrese Campbell's opening goal and one when the players squared up to each other after what looked a pretty clear penalty for the home side – there was life about Sheffield United, but that was it.

It was not enough.

The Blades were furious that referee Stephen Martin did not point to the spot when Cameron Pring shoved Harrison Burrows over in the fourth added minute, but the team that loves a 1-0 had pushed their luck by inviting Bristol City back into the game. Mark Sykes took his time, but eventually took up the offer, scoring in the 90th minute.

Like Burnley, who had kicked off 15 minutes earlier, they had to settle for a 1-1 home draw.

Whilst a draw was enough to return the Blades to the top of the table, they knew victory would really crank up the pressure on Leeds United's game at home to Millwall on Wednesday, yet played as if they did not.

While the Robins moved the ball around nicely, working it regularly to their wing-backs, the hosts made it easier by being too slow to shut down the spaces for nearly an hour.

Considering how high the stakes were, there was just a malaise about their play, typified by Jesurun Rak-Sakyi's touch when presented with a great chance, or the statuesque reaction when Hamza Chourdhury cut a Yu Hirakawa cross out.

It took an outstanding save from Michael Cooper to keep things level at the break.

Rak-Sakyi was prominent early on, doing well to cut out a pass and release Femi Seriki, back in the XI, to win a corner. The on-loan winger had a ninth-minute shot saved, and his effort from the rebound blocked.

But when a lovely moved which flowed quickly from Sydie Peck to Callum O'Hare, to Serki, then Rak-Sakyi was let down by a poor touch which allowed George Tanner to nip in and tackle.

That was as the half-hour approached, and against the run of play.

Ben Brereton Diaz had to charge down a Max Bird shot, Cooper saved from Haydon Roberts and when Peck's poor touch gave the ball up, Holding had to charge the shot down.

Joe Williams shot way off target under pressure.

Rak-Sakyi's missed opportunity did not signal a changing of the tide either.

Sinclair Armstrong looked to be in an offside position but the flag stayed down as he found himself free at the far post from Williams' delivery. Cooper got down low to claw his header from possibly above the goalline.

Max O'Leary was called into action two minutes later when O'Hare's hooked pass released Campbell, but he was unable to beat the keeper or save his team from what would most likely have been a fiery half-time reception from their manager.

Campbell dragged a shot wide from O'Hare's lay-off a couple of minutes after the restart but there was no sea change.

Jason Knight had a shot deflected for a corner and Mark Sykes 's glancing header took the ball in out for a throw-in. Former Hull City loanee Scott Twine curled a shot narrowly wide.

So Chris Wilder had to call on one of the players he was trying to nurse through a night off.

Anel Ahmedhodzic had been left on the bench because it was his last chance to be suspended for a 10th booking of the season, and with a game at Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday, Wilder did not want to risk that, at least until Rob Holding had run his 76-minute race on his first first-team start for 18 months.

He also clearly preferred not to use his creator-in-chief Hamer, who had come off injured on Saturday.

But needs must, and as soon as he and Brewster – whose reduced workload has a lot to do with a fragile body – came onto the field, their team looked a different proposition.

Hamer instantly started drifting off the left wing to play passes with intent to harm, Zak Viner produced a brillaint bit of defensive play to stop Brewster scoring four minuites after coming on.

Then, Hamer got the ball in the centre-back position and slotted it to Brewster, who insntatly shifted it on for Tyrese Camobell to slot past the goalkeeper.

But as soon as they went in front, they dropped back through the gears again.

Seriki had to be alert when Cooper let a ball from wide squirm through him, Hamza Choudhury's tackle ending an Anis Mehmeti dribble before blocking Knight's follow-up, and Ahmedhodzic blocking the shot after WIlliams easily turned Hamer.

So nobody could say Sykes' equaliser was not coming.

It might have been different had Martin seen Pring's challenge differently, but any Championship side relying on referees is a hostage to fortune.

Sheffield United's luck ran out on them.

Sheffield United: Cooper; Seriki (Ahmedhodzic 76), Holding (McCallum 76), Robinson, Burrows;; Choudhury, Peck; Rak-Sakyi (Hamer 54), O'Hare (Brewster 54), Brereton Diaz; Campbell (Moore 66).

Unused substitutes: A Davies, Baptist, Brooks, One.

Bristol City: O’Leary; Tanner, Dickie, Vyner; Hirakawa (Bell 62), Williams, Knight, Roberts (Pring 79); Bird (Sykes HT), Twine (Mehmeti 62); Armstrong (Wells 62).

Unused substitutes: Bajic, Cornick, McGuane, Earthy.

Referee: S Martin (Staffordshire).