Sheffield United 2 Swindon Town 0: Porter praises new Blades chief Morgan after milestone strike

Chris Porter, celebrates scoring the first goal of the match alongside team mate Dave Kitson.

The 29-year-old was not a regular starter under previous chief Danny Wilson and was even loaned to Shrewsbury despite the Blades being in desperate need for strikers.

The former Bury and Derby County striker returned from the Shrews last month, coming off the bench to earn United a 1-1 draw at Walsall last weekend.

That goal failed to earn him a starting place in the midweek game against Crawley Town – the 2-0 home loss proving to be Wilson’s last game in charge.

But Morgan paired Porter with Dave Kitson for his first match in charge on Saturday, and both strikers delivered headed goals to maintain United’s slim hopes of automatic promotion.

The mathematics are simple. Win their last four matches, starting tomorrow against Brentford, and United can secure a top-two finish.

If the Blades put in performances to match their opening 45 minutes against Swindon, when only goalkeeper Wes Foderingham and poor finishing prevented a landslide, they will take some stopping.

“The word that sums it all up is ‘important’,” said Porter, who has netted four times this season for United.

“It was a much-needed win, and I think the performance deserved a little bit more.

“In the first half, I thought we could have had five or six. But we will take the three points, that’s what we needed.

“It was an important goal for me personally, it was my 100th goal. That was a nice one to get.

“Regards my performances, I think going away did help me and I have been chomping at the bit to play. I thought when I came on in the previous games I did well. Thankfully, Morgs has put me in and I have given it my all.

“He has freshened things up a little bit. Everyone respects him for what he has done in his career, he’s a great bloke as well, and just tried to fill everyone with confidence.”

United had failed to score in their previous four Bramall Lane games, and Porter revealed Morgan had shown a motivation dvd featuring a Blades montage to flood players with optimism.

It worked and Porter’s goal came from a back-post header from Tony McMahon’s free-kick, the Blades’ right-back also delivering an 82nd-minute cross for Kitson to head home.

That finally settled Bramall Lane nerves in the 19,298 crowd, for after spurning chances, there was always the niggling fear Swindon could pinch an equaliser.

Home games against Brentford and Preston and trips to Portsmouth and Crewe will decide the Blades’ fate.

Sheffield United: Long, McMahon, Collins, Maguire, Hill, Flynn, Doyle, McDonald (Whitehouse 79), Murphy (McFadzean 70), Porter (Ironside 84), Kitson. Unused substitutes: Coyne, Higginbotham, Robson, Forte.

Swindon Town: Foderingham, Byrne,  Flint, Ward, McCormack, Roberts (L Rooney 62), Ferry, Luongo, De Vita (A Rooney 56), Collins (Francis 72), Williams. Unused substitutes: Bedwell, Devera, Waldon, Navarro.

Referee: E Ilderton (Tyne & Wear).

Man of the match: Tony McMahon.