Sheffield Utd 0 Barnsley 0: Tykes in driving seat for berth in play-offs

The Reds leapfrogged Gillingham – beaten 3-2 by Shrewsbury Town – to occupy the final play-off berth following their 0-0 stalemate at Bramall Lane.

It puts Barnsley in the driving seat for the end-of-season play-offs, but leaves United four points off the pace with just two games remaining.

“We’ve got mixed emotions,” admitted centre-back Mawson, 22. “Obviously, it was a point against a very good side, who were tipped to win the League. They are a big team, with a huge budget, plenty of history.

“We showed them respect, didn’t dive in and do something silly, but we also showed them we are no fools.

“We can take the positives out of that. It could be a massive point come the end of the season.

“In the first half, we gave away a few silly fouls, but then grew into the game.

“United’s fans were on their back for them to pump the ball in, because for them to win was, realistically, their last chance of getting in the play-offs.

“We have done ourselves a favour here, squashing that for them, which is always nice especially in a South Yorkshire derby.

“We didn’t come here to get a clean sheet, we came here to win and had a few really good chances. We just weren’t clinical enough.

“If we can get four points out of the last two games, I think that will be enough.”

Those two games are at home to relegated Colchester United on Saturday, before a final-day trip to leaders Wigan Athletic.

It is all a far cry from when these two South Yorkshire rivals last met. When the Blades were denied by a stoppage-time Conor Hourihane equaliser at Oakwell on November 28 last year, the Reds plunged to the bottom of League One. United were 12th, six points off the play-offs.

Fast-forward five months and the Blades have improved slightly – ninth and four points adrift of the top six – but Barnsley are timing their remarkable transformation to perfection. They have climbed 18 places and hold the coveted final play-off spot.

On Saturday, both sides entered the game harbouring designs on promotion.

It led to an open, sometimes feisty affair, with end-to-end football and some ‘old-fashioned’ derby challenges.

Tykes winger Adam Hammill should have tested Blades goalkeeper George Long better than when when he raced into the area but produced a tame effort.

Striker Ashley Fletcher also saw his ‘goal’ ruled out after Sam Winnall was penalised for tugging back Ryan Flynn.

But the Blades had the better chances to score, Che Adams forcing a fantastic one-handed save from Adam Davies, the Reds goalkeeper pushing the ball onto the post.

It took a last-ditch clearance from the impressive Marc Roberts to deny Matt Done after Davies had dropped the ball.

Defender Roberts also came to his side’s rescue when he blocked Conor Sammon when the Blades substitute looked set to score a late winner.

It was frustrating for the Blades, but United’s play-off hopes did not falter because of Saturday’s dropped points.

It was down to results like home defeats to Shrewsbury Town and Colchester, or on the road at Crewe – the latter two will both be playing their football in League Two next term. Since their 3-1 loss at Southend United last month, the Blades – who finish the season with Coventry City away and Scunthorpe at home –are unbeaten in five and have kept four clean sheets.

Much of that is down to a 3-5-2 system which manager Nigel Adkins has adopted recently.

Centre-back David Edgar believes even if United miss out on the play-offs, optimism and confidence is growing that the future is bright at Bramall Lane.

“We’ve kept four clean sheets in five,” said Canadian international Edgar. “That’s something we weren’t doing at the beginning of the season.

“We dominated from start to finish but we just couldn’t get that goal. It was a good, full-bloodied game. There were tackles flying in and the referee let things go.

“But, as much of the ball as we had, we just couldn’t create enough really clear-cut chances.

“It’s night and day from what we were doing before. If you look at the way we are playing, the way we are closing the season out, I think that should give us massive confidence going forward.

“Whoever is here or not, that’s up to the staff and the club. But if we keep playing the same way, the fans are enjoying it, we’re keeping clean sheets and playing attacking football.

“So that should stand us in really good stead. We’re enjoying it and the formation suits us.”

On loan from Birmingham City, Edgar’s own future is uncertain but says he has enjoyed his time at United. “I’ve had a great year, personally. It’s a great group of lads and both they and the fans have been brilliant to me.

“Whatever happens, happens. But I’ve had a great year, I’ve really enjoyed myself.”

Sheffield United: Long, Basham, Baptiste, Edgar, McEveley (Sammon 88), Done (Woolford 83), Coutts, Hammond (Cuvelier 73), Flynn, Adams, Sharp. Unused substitutes: Howard, Calvert-Lewin, McGahey, Whiteman.

Barnsley: Davies, Scowen, Mawson, Roberts, Williams, Isgrove, Brownhill, Hourihane, Hammill, Winnall, Fletcher (Toney 90). Unused substitutes: Nyatanga, McCourt, Townsend, Khan, Tuton, Chapman.

Referee: D Coote (Notts).