Sheffield Wednesday 0 Sheffield United 3: Tyrese Campbell's cutting edge gives Blades hope from desperate derby

Just over a year after writing his name into Blades folklore with the only goal of last November’s Steel City derby, Campbell double underlined it with a brace in a 3-0 win over hosts stuck in purgatory waiting for a new owner to come to the rescue.

Yet it was still not enough to lift his team out of the Championship relegation zone. The Owls were not alone in seriously handicapping themselves in the summer.

"You're going down with the Wednesday," the home fans, their team still on minus points for the season after going into administration, sang to the away supporters.

At least for the first time in six derby matches the scoreline moved out of binary, although Campbell's early second-half strike did mean the game was effectively done and dusted after 49 minutes.

Even notwithstanding how the Blades controlled the game all afternoon, Wednesday were never likely to score twice, and so it proved.

Instead, the third goal fell to a man who badly needed it, in visiting striker Tom Cannon.

If he could use this as a springboard to finally get scoring, his team’s chances of avoiding what should have been an unthinkable relegation this season will be that much better.

Until then, Campbell had been the exception to the rule, taking a sighter in either half before finding the net on a day when all other strikers were struggling.

Danny Ings, Patrick Bamford and Cannon missed presentable chances. None of the Owls strikers even had one, unless you count Svante Ingelsson, who started at inside-right and switched to the right wing.

Still, Wednesday’s Ike Ugbo was so disappointing his withdrawal was greeted with cheers by his own fans.

Like most of the Blades players still at Bramall Lane after the disastrous Ruben Selles interlude, Campbell has not been the same player this season, and his manager Chris Wilder has not been shy in saying so. During the international break he went as far as signing free agent Bamford to allow him to play without the centre-forward at times.

But there is something about games against Wednesday which bring the best out of him.

From the moment he found the net in the 11th minute, Wilder's unbeaten record in these games never looked in doubt.

The opening goal was a nice combination of determination and rare quality, Jairo Riedewald winning the ball off Yan Valery in midfield and finding Callum O'Hare in far too much space. He shifted the ball cleverly to Campbell, who having already put an effort over the bar made no mistake this time.

Playing in difficult conditions after heavy pre-match rain which eased when the game got started, both sides struggled to keep the ball but the visitors ensured the game was played high up the pitch, meaning what chances there were tended to fall to those in red and white.

Centre-back Dominic Iorfa was a weak point for the Owls, his poor pass playing in Ings, who was unable to beat Ethan Horvath.

Struggling from early on with what looked like a back problem, he made up for his mistake midway through the first half, letting Campbell win a long ball all the way from goalkeeper Michael Cooper but recovering well to tackle.

Ings had a goal chalked off for offside in the 39th minute after a wonderful Campbell touch from a pass Sam McCallum fizzed at an awkward height.

Iorfa made way in the 41st minute as former Leeds United and Hull City centre-back Liam Cooper came on for a debut.

Japhet Tanganga smothered and Ingelsson shot in stoppage time.

Campbell hit the side netting two minutes into the second half when O'Hare found him again, but once more it was good practice.

When Sydie Peck cut out a clearance by Iorfa’s replacement Liam Cooper the ball flew straight to Campbell, who kept his cool and doubled the lead.

The Blades substitutes ought to have added to it but Cannon came into the game without a goal all season and it showed, his heavy touch as he was sent through one-on-one followed by a shot at Horvath.

Bamford also hit a 90th-minute shot at the goalkeeper when the Blades scythed their way down Wednesday's left.

But his deflected strike in the second added minute wrapped up a victory which had been a matter of time for so long as the Blades made it three consecutive derby wins since the sides found themselves in the same division again.

Now his team's mission is to make sure there is not another one next season, when the Owls will be rebuilding in League One.

Sheffield Wednesday: Horvath; Fusire (Cadamarteri 56), Palmer, Iorfa (Cooper 61), M Lowe, Amass; Valery, Bannan; Ingelsson, J Lowe, Ugbo (McNeill 73). Unused substitutes. Stretch, Otegbayo, Emery, Alao, Johnson, Thornton.

Sheffield United: Cooper; Seriki, Tanganga, Mee, McCallum; Peck, Riedewald (Burrows 90+2); Brooks (Soumare 90+2), Ings (Bamford 70), O'Hare (Hamer 90+2); Campbell (Cannon 77). Unused substitutes. A Davies, Bindon, McGuinness, One.

Referee: Robert Madley (West Yorkshire).