Sheffield United went 'off plan' in Championship home opener against QPR admits Chris Wilder

United, who handed first home starts to Kieffer Moore, Callum O’Hare, Harrison Burrows and Alfie Gilchrist, with recent signings Michael Cooper and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi named on the bench alongside Harry Souttar, were good value for a 2-0 lead in the first half, with some of the interplay – particularly involving ex-Coventry City duo Hamer and O’Hare – being of the highest order.

The pair combined to enable Hamer to fire his second of the campaign to put United 1-0 up after six minutes and Moore’s first goal in Blades colours followed seven minutes later, with Hamer and O’Hare again involved.

All was seemingly set fair, but Rangers, poor in the opening 45 minutes, transformed matters and produced an outstanding second-half display, prompted by some changes by Marti Cifuentes.

A header from Jimmy Dunne pulled one back on 55 minutes and despite losing substitute Jack Colback to a second caution seven minutes from time, the visitors were undeterred and grabbed a leveller in the 88th minute when Lyndon Dykes coolly fired home following good work by fellow replacement Koki Saito – with the Scottish international having only been on the pitch for three minutes.

Wilder said: “We left the door open. We had a fabulous start, a fabulous atmosphere at the start and we just went off plan.

"We went individual and lost control of the game. It ended up being a game of basketball.

"It wasn't like we were being pummelled, Davo (Adam Davies) didn't have a lot to do anyway, but it wasn't the control we should have had when you go 2-0 up in a game and (should) keep doing the right things.

"We started doing things we shouldn't have done, and I think the big word is control. And we didn't have that.

"Even though we still created a couple of bits. I didn't think we were in a great place at half-time, or not in the place I believe we should have been, and the second half was pretty similar.

"They started really well and got themselves back in it and then it was a tight game.

"But saying that when you get to the last couple of minutes and they're down to 10 men, you should take the game away from them.

"But when you make a mistake like we did, allowing them that one last opportunity to get something from the game, they took it.

"I think you've got to give credit to the opposition, even at 2-0 they had a foothold in the game and especially when it went to 2-1. There was always that chance that they created something out of nothing, or we made a mistake.

"And unfortunately we made that mistake that they punished.”