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Two wrongs make a right - MATCH REPORT AND SLIDESHOW
Sheff Utd 2 Birmingham 1 SOMETIMES wrong decisions do deliver the right result.
Sheffield United, who found themselves on the receiving end of two horrendous refereeing blunders at Hull City last week, climbed to fifth in the table courtesy of a dubious strike in each half of this intriguing Championship fixture.
But no-one, not even Birmingham City manager Alex McLeish, could deny that Kevin Blackwell's side were deserved victors.
The Scot described Lee Mason's reading of events which led to David Cotterill's match-winning penalty as "ludicrous".
And while the Lancashire official, who was on touchline duty at the KC Stadium, undeniably offered United a helping hand, the hosts would once again have been cursing their luck had they been forced to settle for a share of the spoils after dominating their opponents for long spells.
"I thought we showed great courage out there," Blackwell said. "My word, we deserved a bit of fortune but there was nothing fortuitious about the outcome.
"The players were superb from start to finish. We sent out an attacking team and we got our reward for that.
"The promotion race is bubbling up nicely and, from now on, it's all about belief.
"That's why it was great to see the lads show such great character.
"We knew that, if we were to maintain any ambition about going straight
up, we had to do the business out there and get the result we wanted.
"We did that and we're right back in the hunt."
United, who saw Danny Webber open the scoring before Cotterill's spot-kick rendered Chris Morgan's own goal an irrelevance, now trail second-placed City by just six points.
And, with none of teams above them displaying any semblance of consistency, they can once again harbour thoughts of taking the quickest possible route back to the Premier League.
"Everyone, from one to eight, is going to fancy their chances," Blackwell added.
"We've shown that we're difficult to beat and, touch wood, we've never really gone on a long losing run.
"If we could put together six or so back to back wins then that would be absolutely superb.
"We've got to think that it's possible."
A performance which achieved the perfect balance between industry and invention saw United, beaten just three times in their previous 16 outings, deliver an ominious statement of intention to a division notorious for its fickleness.
Cotterill, labelled "unplayable" by a jubilant Blackwell, was a constant threat along the wing while Darius Henderson, restored to the starting line-up after suspension, gave City's battered and bruised defenders a torrid afternoon.
Even Nick Montgomery, a midfielder not usually known for his artistry, got in on the act by spraying a series of incisive passes across the pitch with the outside of his boot.
But it was Webber, who had earlier spurned a glorious opportunity when Henderson's header was cleared off the line by Stephen Carr, who broke the deadlock in the 43rd minute by touching home from close range after the former Watford striker, looking suspiciously offside, diverted Gary Naysmith's deep cross into his path.
"All of my boys insisted it shouldn't have been given,"McLeish complained with some justification.
But United were definitely worth their lead.
City found themselves under the cosh immediately after the re-start but drew level when Morgan, having forced a superb save from Maik Taylor, turned David Murphy's teasing centre into his own net 16 minutes from
time.
"Morgs apolgised in the dressing room," Blackwell revealed. "But he had no need to because he was an absolute colossus out there."
However, Cotterill ensured justice was served by opening his United account after Radhi Jaidi was judged to have impeded substitute Craig
Beattie in the box.
"If that was a penalty then we should be seeing 20 or so in every game," continued McLeish.
"To lose like that is galling but we didn't have a divine right to come here and run out deserving winners because we're two evenly-matched outfits. It's still all to play for."
As United know only too well.
BOSS'S VIEW
My word, we've deserved a bit of fortune after what happened at Hull.
But this result wasn't fortuitous. It was well deserved.
We kept pushing and pressurising them all the time.
And that ensured they made errors and mistakes. I thought the lads showed great courage out there. I'm delighted.
What do you think? Add your comment below.
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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
