Match ends, Sheffield United 1, Middlesbrough 0.
Sheffield United 1-0 Middlesbrough: Blades cut gap at top of Championship
- From the section Championship
Sheffield United moved to within two points of the Championship's automatic promotion places with victory over 10-man Middlesbrough at Bramall Lane.
Richard Stearman headed in Oliver Norwood's curling free-kick to give the Blades the lead a minute after top scorer Billy Sharp had a goal disallowed for offside.
Boro's night got worse four minutes later when centre-back Daniel Ayala was sent off for two yellow cards in the space of seven minutes.
Substitute Britt Assombalonga had the best chance to bring Boro level, but Dean Henderson saved with his legs after the striker was through on goal.
The win sees the third-placed Blades close in on second-placed Norwich, who lost 3-1 at Preston to slip from the summit of the second tier after Leeds beat Swansea City.
Both goalkeepers provided the highlights of an uneventful first half - Boro's Darren Randolph making a fantastic one-handed save from Mark Duffy's excellent shot after six minutes before Henderson tipped Jordan Hugill's effort past the post.
The visitors almost took the lead five minutes after the restart when George Friend's goal-bound header was cleared off the line by Enda Stevens.
Half-time substitute Gary Madine had two shouts for a penalty waved away shortly before Stearman's goal as Boro missed the chance to go above fifth-placed Bristol City.
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield:
"It was a good three points, a big win after what happened on Friday (surrendering a 3-0 lead at Aston Villa), so we're delighted.
"We had to shuffle the pack a little bit and it wasn't as fluid a performance as we'd have expected, but it was still an even game in the first half.
"There are different ways to win games of football, we try to play through teams and if not we have to go over the top and be a little bit more direct into the front men. We did that in the second half and I thought it worked a treat."
Middlesbrough manager Tony Pulis told BBC Radio Tees:
"I'm really disappointed with the goal. I think the linesman's decision for it to be a free-kick is shocking. If they're going to give a free-kick for that then the lad who scored the goal has pushed and jumped on Dael (Fry) and the referee's in a great position to give it and doesn't give it. It's a free-kick every minute of the day.
"It was such a big game tonight and we have a referee who's only refereed eight games in the Championship all season.
"You look around and you've got other referees who are refereeing Premier League games and dropping down - that's not the referee's fault, that's the person in charge and that can't be right. That's not good enough."
Line-ups
Sheff Utd
- 1Henderson
- 28Cranie
- 12Egan
- 3Stevens
- 2BaldockSubstituted forStearmanat 45'minutes
- 16NorwoodBooked at 38mins
- 4FleckBooked at 76mins
- 8Dowell
- 21DuffySubstituted forMadineat 45'minutes
- 10SharpSubstituted forCouttsat 87'minutes
- 17McGoldrick
Substitutes
- 7Lundstram
- 11Hogan
- 14Madine
- 15Coutts
- 19Stearman
- 20Bryan
- 25Moore
Middlesbrough
- 23Randolph
- 4AyalaBooked at 64mins
- 24FlintSubstituted forDowningat 34'minutes
- 20Fry
- 5ShottonBooked at 35mins
- 22SavilleSubstituted forAssombalongaat 67'minutes
- 2Mikel
- 3Friend
- 26Wing
- 16HowsonSubstituted forvan La Parraat 81'minutes
- 11Hugill
Substitutes
- 1Konstantopoulos
- 8Clayton
- 9Assombalonga
- 18Fletcher
- 19Downing
- 29van La Parra
- 37Besic
- Referee:
- Andy Woolmer
- Attendance:
- 24,805
Match Stats
Home TeamSheff UtdAway TeamMiddlesbrough
- Possession
- Home56%
- Away44%
- Shots
- Home15
- Away10
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away4
- Corners
- Home4
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home6
- Away14
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Sheffield United 1, Middlesbrough 0.
David McGoldrick (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Rajiv van La Parra (Middlesbrough).
Richard Stearman (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Britt Assombalonga (Middlesbrough).
Richard Stearman (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jordan Hugill (Middlesbrough).
Gary Madine (Sheffield United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough).
Attempt saved. Rajiv van La Parra (Middlesbrough) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Stewart Downing with a cross.
Substitution
Substitution, Sheffield United. Paul Coutts replaces Billy Sharp.
Foul by Billy Sharp (Sheffield United).
George Friend (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Middlesbrough. Rajiv van La Parra replaces Jonny Howson.
Attempt blocked. Dael Fry (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Attempt blocked. Lewis Wing (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by John Obi Mikel.
John Egan (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jordan Hugill (Middlesbrough).
Hand ball by David McGoldrick (Sheffield United).
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Booking
John Fleck (Sheffield United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Delay in match John Obi Mikel (Middlesbrough) because of an injury.
John Fleck (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Lewis Wing (Middlesbrough).
Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Dean Henderson.
Attempt saved. Britt Assombalonga (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Jordan Hugill.
Offside, Middlesbrough. Dael Fry tries a through ball, but Jordan Hugill is caught offside.
Attempt saved. David McGoldrick (Sheffield United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Billy Sharp.
Substitution
Substitution, Middlesbrough. Britt Assombalonga replaces George Saville.
Attempt missed. John Fleck (Sheffield United) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
Attempt missed. Oliver Norwood (Sheffield United) right footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the left is close, but misses to the left from a direct free kick.
Dismissal
Second yellow card to Daniel Ayala (Middlesbrough) for a bad foul.
Kieran Dowell (Sheffield United) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Daniel Ayala (Middlesbrough).
Goal!
Goal! Sheffield United 1, Middlesbrough 0. Richard Stearman (Sheffield United) header from the centre of the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Oliver Norwood with a cross following a set piece situation.
David McGoldrick (Sheffield United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by John Obi Mikel (Middlesbrough).
Offside, Sheffield United. Gary Madine tries a through ball, but Billy Sharp is caught offside.
Attempt missed. Gary Madine (Sheffield United) left footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right following a corner.
