Sheffield United 4 Exeter City 4: Clarke back on target as Wilson blasts his experienced Blades

A cruciate knee ligament injury ruled him out of Blackpool’s Premier League campaign last season but now he is on the comeback trail on loan with the Blades, Clarke fully appreciates what he has got in terms of being a professional footballer.

The Cork-born 23-year-old had been a provider in his previous three appearances for United but this time he struck his first goal since a first-minute opener against Preston in November, 2009, clipping in a low cross from fellow Tangerines loanee Matt Phillips to make it 2-2 in the 65th minute.

In a topsy-turvy match, however, there were still four more goals to come and, although they had hit back from 2-0 down, the outcome must be considered a case of two points dropped by the Blades.

Clarke admitted: “Scoring four at home, you are expected to win the match. We showed great character coming back from 2-0 but when it got to 3-2 you would expect us to go on and comfortably get the result. The lads are disappointed.

“Personally, it’s always nice to score but I would have sacrificed my goal if it meant winning the game.”

Blades manager Danny Wilson hopes to extend Clarke’s stay beyond his initial one-month loan but the player says: “I have no idea what is going on. It’s completely out of my hands really. If Ian Holloway gives the green light then I would be happy to stay here but if not I will go back and give my allfor Blackpool.

“If I can contribute goals or assists then I’m quite happy. It’s nice to get off the mark for the first time since being injured and it’s good to get that out of the way. The main thing is getting regular games and enjoying my football and that’s what I’m doing here.

“Having been injured for a year, I just want to play. It changes your outlook when you’ve been out for so long. I think I am a bit more grateful for what I have got. The injury has changed me – I suppose I took my career a bit for granted before it.”

Wing partner Phillips eclipsed Clarke’s display not only with his threatening runs but also with two goals but while he was happy with his Blackpool duo, manager Wilson was far from impressed by the overall performance, especially from his experienced players.

The game began badly when teenage goalkeeper George Long and full-back Marcus Williams got in a tangle near the penalty spot, leaving Scott Golbourne’s through ball for each other and presenting former Barnsley striker Daniel Nardiello an easy tap-in.

It got worse as the Blades failed to close down David Noble, whose shot from outside the area looped over Long off a defender to make it 2-0 midway through the half.

The Blades grasped a lifeline just before the break, Phillips hooking home with the aid of a deflection from a cross by Williams and when Clarke equalised after the break Exeter were reeling.

Ched Evans, who had replaced Richard Cresswell up front, saw a shot deflected for a corner from which Harry Maguire headed down for right-back Matt Lowson to bundle home and the Blades should have closed the game out from that 70th minute.

However, they continued to switch off from their defensive duties and substitute John O’Flynn, a striker brought on to replace injured defender Golbourne, who could easily have been shown red in the first half for a head-butt on Stephen Quinn, made it 3-3.

Captain Noble was the provider, chipping the ball through for O’Flynn to head past Long as the flag stayed down.

The Blades still looked set for victory when Maguire’s diagonal ball was headed down by Evans for Phillips, who had again taken a central position, to fire home in the 85th minute.

Wilson could hardly believe it as again Noble hit the ball forward and, after Maguire had missed his header, James Dunne struck from an acute angle as Long raced out a shade rashly.

“It was a roller-coaster of emotions from a manager’s point of view,” said Wilson.

“We gifted them easy goals. If you look at the other night and how we defended against MK Dons I thought we were fantastic but today we were a shadow of ourselves, completely the opposite, which is unbelievable.

“We have enough players in that dressing room to be more consistent. It is all about being reliable in taking up certain positions in certain parts of the game and understanding the game. I don’t want to be lifting my head up and finding my players all over the place. I have got to know that they take responsibility in certain parts of the pitch. We vacated those areas too many times today.

“We always know we can score goals but we have got to understand that if we are going to go behind and then get ourselves back into it then we have to say to ourselves ‘hey, we have to settle for what we have got’ and sit down and say we didn’t have our best game defensively but we have got three points. We are too easy offering opportunities. I’m looking at the senior players here – do you want to blame the young ones? I certainly don’t.”

Sheffield United: Long, Lowton, Maguire, Collins, Williams; Phillips, McDonald (Doyle 81), Montgomery, Quinn; Cresswell (Evans 57), Clarke (Porter 81). Unused substitutes: Simonsen, Jean-Francois.

Exeter City: Krysiak, Tully, Archibald-Henville, Coles, Golbourne (O’Flynn51); Oakley; Taylor, Sercombe, Dunne, Nardiello; Noble. Unused substitutes: Logan, Bennett, McNish, Pidgeley.

Referee: D Coote (Notts).