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Peterborough 1 Sheffield United 0 - MATCH REPORT
PETERBOROUGH have supposedly conceded defeat in the battle to retain their Championship status.
On last night's evidence Sheffield United might have to forget about reaching the Premier League too.
Poor form and wretched fortune have combined to land a flurry of blows on Kevin Blackwell's side of late but suffering a seventh successive away defeat, especially when it is inflicted by the division's bottom club, hardly presents the most compelling case for promotion.
The fact they remain only four points off the play-off pace provides hope for the future but Blackwell, despite defiantly refusing to throw in the towel, concedes significant obstacles must be overcome before they can contemplate repeating last year's march to Wembley.
"The first thing is trying to get a team out for Saturday against Queens Park Rangers," said Blackwell, who saw Ched Evans, Jamie Ward and Lee Williamson add their names to Bramall Lane's seemingly never-ending casualty list.
"The frustrating thing is that we are still in with a shout and we'd be in with a great one if we could get all the boys out there but we can't.
"That's what makes it so frustrating.
"But I always feel as if we can win everything that we're involved in and, although our decision making could have been better at times, the one thing I'll never criticise them for is effort.
"We are always in the game."
United, still ninth in the table, were as poor as the scoreline suggests and as they trooped disconsolately down the tunnel following the final whistle, those supporters who had made the journey from South Yorkshire delivered their own withering critique of what they had just witnessed.
"That's the life of a football manager," he said. "It's something you have to expect and put up with.
"The expectations of this club are sky high but I honestly believe that, with everything we've had to go through with regards to injuries and the like, that it's a phenomenal achievement to be where we are.
"The parachute payments have gone and so have most of the lads who got us to Wembley in May.
"So, while the fans want us to do well, I think they also realise the challenges that we've been facing.
"Yes there will be disappointment.
"But hopefully there will be some pragmatism too."
United travelled south attempting to arrest a disappointing sequence of results which has seen them lose vital ground in the race for a top six finish.
But despite making three changes to the starting eleven beaten by Crystal Palace three days earlier, some familiar problems quickly emerged.
An injury crisis of unprecedented proportions and worryingly fragile defence have both contributed to United's problem of late.
So, having seen Peterborough's Dominic Green force a smart save from Mark Bunn after being left in acres of space on the edge of the penalty area, it was no surprise to see Evans last barely 10 minutes before departing following a collision with the goalkeeper.
No team has won fewer games in the Championship this season than Peterborough but, despite hearing manager Jim Gannon insist earlier in the week that relegation is now inevitable, United had been warned they would still provide stoic resistance.
However, it quickly became apparent that their ambitions stretched far beyond damage limitation and, having seen Lee Frecklington also go close from range, Craig Mackail-Smith edged them in front just before the interval after Charlie Lee had headed Dominic Green's corner onto the crossbar.
While Peterborough sensed an opportunity to prove their manager wrong, United, who were forced into yet another reshuffle when Ward disappeared down the tunnel, appeared bereft of confidence and ideas.
Substitute Stephen Quinn saw a shot deflected to safety as Blackwell's charges attempted to establish a foothold soon after the interval but it proved to be a false dawn as Tommy Rowe and Mackail-Smith wasted good chances to extend Peterborough's lead before Chris Morgan flashed wide for United at the death.
"I think it was important to be brutally honest about what we can do," said Gannon.
"My comments about going down weren't reverse psychology because I don't think we'll pick up enough results.
"When I came to the club we had three wins out of 28 and we needed to win nine out of 18 and it's an incredible task to ask of the players.
"But at the same time I want us to go down fighting and that's what we did out there. Fight."
Boss's View
'I always maintained that the one thing we couldn't afford is injuries and now we've got more. They've come at a bad time and I don't know why they keep on coming. This is the second time this season we've had a massive injury crisis. If you look at the lads who are out, they're certainly not bad players are they.'
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Weather for Sheffield
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
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Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
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