Sheffield United 1 Notts County 1: Kitson tips Blackman to prove real deal at Blades

Signed on a short-term contract until the end of the year after agreeing to leave financially-stricken Portsmouth, Kitson was delighted to open his Blades account against second-placed County.

But the 32-year-old was impressed by a partner 10 years his junior, who, with steadier finishing, could have been the match-winner.

Kitson has enjoyed life in the top sphere but knows how difficult it is for young English players to make their mark in the Premier League these days and believes that taking a step down could spark a return to the top for the youngster ditched by Blackburn Rovers following their relegation.

“Those guys at the top can pick from the world. There is literally no-one they can’t have and it’s hard now to break through – it always has been but now it’s especially difficult,” said Kitson.

“Sometimes you have to make your own way in the world and get out there and find out what it’s about and Nick’s certainly doing that and if he carries on he could well be back up there.”

Of their fledgling partnership, Kitson continued: “Nick could have had a couple but it just didn’t break for him today. He had a couple of great runs in the second half where the shot didn’t quite match the run but he is a really exciting prospect.

“He looks like he could be the real deal, to be honest. He is already scoring goals, his confidence is up and he’s not afraid to take people on and he looks like he could be a real asset for the club.

“I played last week with him at Yeovil and we had some nice inter-play together without getting too near the goal ourselves but this week we looked a lot more threatening. We linked up well and brought others into play and it could be a fruitful partnership.”

Kitson struck in the 50th minute after Blackman had first rattled a post before being blocked out by inspired goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski. The ball broke out to Ryan Flynn, whose cross was met by Kitson’s fine header into the net.

“I’m absolutely delighted to be off the mark,” said the rugged striker, who gave County no respite in his 73 minutes on the pitch.

“In the context of the game, the longer it went on it looked like being one of those days where you do everything but score and you are always susceptible to a goal which we actually ended up conceding in the end.

“When the ball broke to Flynny I just got the sense that the only thing he could do was wedge it to the back post and I had to try and crank my neck a little bit to try to get as much power on it as possible and I just lifted my head to see it hit the net.

“I am glad because I didn’t have too many chances in the first half despite the team having chances to score and I really thought that was going to be it, to be honest.

“As a striker, there is nothing more annoying than when you think you are going to be scoring the winning goal and it ends up not being so. It was a weight off my shoulders even though it’s only been two games. I played pretty well without the goal and was a bit of a nuisance and a bit of a handful, which is the way I play anyway, but, at the end of the day, you are judged on goals.

“You can be a great forward but if you are not scoring you have to bring in someone who will. That’s what I am there for. I contribute as much as I can defensively, attacking-wise, creating goals, tackling – you can see today I don’t mind a tackle – but you have to score. It’s the name of the game.”

The reason the unbeaten Blades, who have now drawn six games, failed to score in that opening half was due to Bialkowski denying Flynn, back from suspension with captain Michael Doyle, Paul Gallagher and Blackman.

County were a threat on the break with Francois Zoko flashing a header wide and Alan Judge mis-kicking in front of goal.

But the Blades took a grip after the break and Gallagher fluffed a great chance at the far post after Kitson’s goal before Mark Howard produced the save of the match from Zoko’s close-range header.

Keith Curle, who began his coaching career at Bramall Lane before moving into management, made a double switch, surprisingly replacing the dangerous Zoko with the predatory Lee Hughes and putting on Joss Labadie for injured right-back Julian Kelly.

The reshuffle paid dividends after blunders by the Blades, which presented County with a corner before Kevin McDonald made a hash of clearing it and the ball bounced off the bar, allowing Jeff Hudghes to drill in a shot which Lee Hughes converted from close range in the 77th minute.

The Blades drove forward and central defender Harry Maguire twice went close, netting a header from an offside position before striking a shot narrowly wide from partner Neil Collins’s nod down.

Sheffield United: Howard, McMahon, Maguire, Collins, Hill; Flynn, McDonald, Doyle, Gallagher (Cofie 85); Blackman, Kitson (Porter 73). Unused substitutes: Miller, McAllister, Cresswell, Long, Williams.

Notts County: Bialkowski, Kelly (Labadie 62), Leacock, Liddle, Regan; Campbell-Ryce (Mahon 81), J Hughes, Bishop, Zoko (L Hughes 61); Judge; Arquin. Unused substitutes: Showunmi, Bencherif, Spiess, Hollis.

Referee: N Swarbrick (Lancs).