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Taking Liberties as Morgan pounces: MATCH REPORT AND SLIDESHOW
SWANSEA CITY 1 v BLADES 1: ROBERTO Martinez, Swansea City's manager, chastised the Liberty Stadium supporters recently for affording visiting teams too warm a welcome.
But the Spaniard, whose affable demeanour masks a determined, ruthless streak, need look no further than the home dressing room for the reason why a Sheffield United side reduced to 10 men when Darius Henderson saw red just seconds after the interval was able to snatch what, for the majority of the second-half, had seemed an improbable draw.
Swansea, having taken the lead courtesy of Jason Scotland's controversial penalty, squandered a hatful of chances as Kevin Blackwell's players desperately tried to claw themselves back into the fixture before discovering that, against such obstinate opponents, profligacy carries a heavy price.
"We can't fault the lads at all," Sam Ellis, United's assistant manager, said after watching Chris Morgan prod home an 87th minute equaliser. "They can always be relied upon to give it absolutely everything for the entire 90 minutes.
"We came here with a game plan and negated Swansea's strengths before the interval.
"If we'd have done that for a little bit longer in the second then it would have been set up for a very interesting finale indeed.
"But it was a point well earned and a good point.
"When you come from behind like that, especially when you're a man down, then that's always the case."
The result, which sees United drop two places to seventh, ensures they remain in play-off contention approaching the crucial Christmas period when Ellis, deputising for Blackwell who had apparently shouted himself hoarse on the touchline, predicts a challenge for automatic promotion could materialise.
Overhauling the cavernous 11 point gap between themselves and second-placed Birmingham City will be a tall order and although United clearly possess the character to climb footballing Everest's, technical improvements must be made if they are to avoid facing a convoluted route back to the Premiership.
Discovering the invention to complement his squad's industry should, once again, be the most important item on Blackwell's agenda when he begins preparing for this weekend's fixture with Crystal Palace later today.
Next month's transfer window could offer some potential solutions but, Ellis insists, coaxing more out of the talent already at Bramall Lane will be a more fruitful exercise.
"There's plenty more to come from us," he said. "Make no doubt about that.
"We can improve and creativity is one of those areas but we've already got the personnel here to do that.
"It's difficult for players like that to do it game in and game out though."
Nick Montgomery's injured calf robbed United of their most selfless midfield performer meaning that Brian Howard and Matthew Spring, who should have been foraging for openings around the Swansea box, spent the majority of the afternoon locked in a dogfight for possession; particularly after Henderson was dismissed for catching Angel Rangel with an arm.
But United have enough talent at their disposal to stamp their own authority on such contests and after James Beattie had shot wide midway through the first-half, were indebted to their goalkeeper Paddy Kenny for making a string of fine saves.
"He's a Premiership player," Martinez insisted. "There's no doubt about that."
The pick of the bunch came soon after Henderson's exit when the impressive Thomas Butler - giving young Kyle Naughton the most difficult afternoon of his embryonic career - and Scotland were both foiled in quick succession.
But even Kenny, who also did well to narrow Darren Pratley's angles during the closing stages, was powerless to prevent Scotland converting after Gary Naysmith clipped the Swansea midfielder.
United protested the offence had taken place outside of the area but Ellis acknowledged: "Some people say we were hard done to and that might be the case but it was certainly an injudicious challenge.
"We should have dealt with it better."
However, as Swansea went in search of a second goal, United gained their reward for some brave substitutions when Morgan, edging forward to contest a set-piece, beat the advancing Dorus deVries to Howard's header.
"Some of the openings we had would have been harder to score than to miss," Martinez said.
"But football is an unpredictable game and we will learn from that.
"We showed a lack of know-how and experience which Sheffield United clearly have.
"They should also be given credit for carrying on and eventually getting something even though it was very painful for us."
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Weather for Sheffield
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: East
