Sheffield United 1-1 Cardiff City

Neil Warnock celebrates Cardiff's injury-time equaliser

A stoppage-time Anthony Pilkington volley salvaged a point for Cardiff City against play-off hopefuls Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.

Leon Clarke's deflected effort gave the Blades the lead, before Pilkington struck a minute into injury time.

Cardiff have opened up an eight-point gap on third-placed Fulham in the Championship.

However, Neil Warnock's side missed out a 71-year-old club record-equalling ninth successive win.

Leon Clarke's first-half strike looked to have made it an unhappy return for Warnock to his boyhood club, but substitute Pilkington struck in the 91st minute to maintain Cardiff's 13-game unbeaten league run.

United are ninth are in the table, one point outside the play-off places.

Warnock managed the Blades from 1999-2007 and took them to the Premier League in 2006.

John Lundstram could have given the hosts the lead inside the first two minutes, but his headed effort from six yards out lacked power and was straight at keeper Neil Etheridge.

Cardiff's first chance came when Marko Grujic's shot from outside the box was deflected towards goal by Kenneth Zohore, but the striker was ruled offside and Blades keeper Simon Moore always had it covered.

Leon Clarke scores his first goal in 11 games for Sheffield United

Clarke's first goal since New Year's Day gave the hosts the lead against the run of play just before the half-hour mark.

Lundstram played a neat ball into his feet and Clarke managed to get his shot away off Bruno Manga to breach the best defence in the Championship this season.

The Blades dominated the rest of the first half, with the Bluebirds unable to get a foothold.

Cardiff brought on Gary Madine for Nathaniel Mendez-Laing for the second half and started with purpose.

Aron Gunnarsson beat two men down the right before firing across the face of goal.

Zohore got himself into the box moments later, but his shot was palmed over by Moore.

The hosts reasserted themselves as Wales international David Brooks' shot was bravely blocked by Etheridge after good work from John Fleck.

United substitute Clayton Donaldson was unlucky to hit the woodwork with Etheridge well beaten.

United also had a shout for a penalty when Lee Evans claimed to have been clipped by Manga in the penalty area.

Cardiff did not look like scoring until the ball fell nicely for substitute Pilkington, who fired the ball into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

Cardiff City boss Neil Warnock

"When you equalise late on in a game like that, it's a fantastic feeling. It sets us up great for the small matter of Wolves on Friday.

"It's all about hanging in there and we showed a lot of guts and determination for that.

"Give our lads some credit for never giving in.

"I thought the subs did well when they came on."

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder

"We haven't got the result we wanted, but not for the lack of trying.

"We should have accumulated loads more points over the last five games, we're playing well enough but the ball in the back of the net puts teams to bed.

"We try to play in a way that our supports enjoy... but in the end you've got to win and that decides the teams that are successful and the teams that maybe just fall out."

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Sheff Utd

• 1Moore
• 6Basham
• 19StearmanSubstituted forWrightat 69'minutes
• 5O'Connell
• 2Baldock
• 7Lundstram
• 20EvansSubstituted forLeonardat 88'minutes
• 4Fleck
• 3Stevens
• 36BrooksSubstituted forDonaldsonat 72'minutes
• 9Clarke

Substitutes

• 10Sharp
• 11Donaldson
• 13Wright
• 14Leonard
• 24Lafferty
• 26Holmes
• 31Eastwood

Cardiff

• 25Etheridge
• 5Ecuele Manga
• 4Morrison
• 14Bamba
• 3BennettBooked at 29mins
• 17Gunnarsson
• 24Grujic
• 19Mendez-LaingSubstituted forMadineat 45'minutes
• 18Paterson
• 33HoilettSubstituted forWildschutat 78'minutes
• 10ZohoreSubstituted forPilkingtonat 78'minutes

Substitutes

• 2Peltier
• 13Pilkington
• 21Bryson
• 28Murphy
• 29Ward
• 35Wildschut
• 44Madine

Referee:

Michael Oliver

Attendance:

25,231

Match Stats

Home TeamSheff UtdAway TeamCardiff

Possession

Home58%

Away42%

Shots

Home16

Away13

Shots on Target

Home6

Away3

Corners

Home8

Away3

Fouls

Home8

Away15

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Sheffield United 1, Cardiff City 1.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+5'

Second Half ends, Sheffield United 1, Cardiff City 1.

Posted at 90'+5'

Corner, Cardiff City. Conceded by Enda Stevens.

Goal!

Posted at 90'+1'

Goal! Sheffield United 1, Cardiff City 1. Anthony Pilkington (Cardiff City) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Gary Madine with a headed pass.

Posted at 90'+1'

Foul by Clayton Donaldson (Sheffield United).

Posted at 90'+1'

Marko Grujic (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 90'

Clayton Donaldson (Sheffield United) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 90'

Foul by Bruno Ecuele Manga (Cardiff City).

Posted at 89'

Attempt missed. John Fleck (Sheffield United) left footed shot from outside the box is too high.

Posted at 88'

Clayton Donaldson (Sheffield United) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 88'

Foul by Aron Gunnarsson (Cardiff City).

Substitution

Posted at 88'

Substitution, Sheffield United. Ryan Leonard replaces Lee Evans.

Posted at 88'

George Baldock (Sheffield United) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 88'

Foul by Callum Paterson (Cardiff City).

Posted at 87'

Lee Evans (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 87'

Foul by Marko Grujic (Cardiff City).

Posted at 85'

Attempt saved. Leon Clarke (Sheffield United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Enda Stevens with a cross.

Posted at 83'

Foul by George Baldock (Sheffield United).

Posted at 83'

Callum Paterson (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 82'

Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Sean Morrison.

Posted at 82'

Attempt blocked. John Lundstram (Sheffield United) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jack O'Connell.

Posted at 81'

Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Bruno Ecuele Manga.

Posted at 81'

Attempt blocked. Clayton Donaldson (Sheffield United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Leon Clarke.

Posted at 79'

Lee Evans (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 79'

Foul by Gary Madine (Cardiff City).

Substitution

Posted at 78'

Substitution, Cardiff City. Anthony Pilkington replaces Kenneth Zohore.

Substitution

Posted at 78'

Substitution, Cardiff City. Yanic Wildschut replaces David Junior Hoilett.

Posted at 77'

Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Sean Morrison.

Posted at 76'

Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Bruno Ecuele Manga.

Posted at 76'

Clayton Donaldson (Sheffield United) hits the left post with a right footed shot from the centre of the box. Assisted by Enda Stevens following a set piece situation.

Posted at 76'

John Fleck (Sheffield United) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 76'

Foul by David Junior Hoilett (Cardiff City).

Posted at 75'

Offside, Cardiff City. Sean Morrison tries a through ball, but David Junior Hoilett is caught offside.

Substitution

Posted at 72'

Substitution, Sheffield United. Clayton Donaldson replaces David Brooks.

Posted at 70'

Attempt missed. Sol Bamba (Cardiff City) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Joe Bennett.

Posted at 69'

Attempt saved. John Fleck (Sheffield United) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Leon Clarke.

Substitution

Posted at 69'

Substitution, Sheffield United. Jake M Wright replaces Richard Stearman because of an injury.

Posted at 69'

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

Posted at 68'

Delay in match Richard Stearman (Sheffield United) because of an injury.

Posted at 67'

Attempt blocked. Callum Paterson (Cardiff City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Gary Madine with a headed pass.

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