Sheffield United player ratings from an evening of frustration at Bramall Lane as a sorry first-half showing sets the tone for a 3-1 defeat at home to struggling Blackburn Rovers

Sheffield United missed the chance to continue their good run of form as a horror first half at home to Blackburn Rovers this evening set the tone for a 3-1 defeat. The Blades found themselves 3-0 down at the break as the visitors put themselves on the brink of Championship safety.

Boss Chris Wilder responded to his side’s first-half showing by making four changes at the break and United did improve from there, although the damage had already been done long before Harrison Burrows pulled one back for the Blades.

Here’s how we rated United’s players on an afternoon of frustration at Bramall Lane ...

Adam Davies 5

Had to be alert early on to tip an overhit cross over his bar when it looked to be arrowing towards the back of the United net and actually made two smart saves in the seconds before Rovers' third, although he could do nothing to prevent Morishita doubling the away side's lead before Ohashi got on the scoresheet again right on the stroke of half-time

Ki-Jana Hoever 5

The Wolves man has had to bide his time to start and got his chance here in place of Seriki. He was probably United's best operator in the first half but considering they went in 3-0 down and were loudly booed off, that was a low bar. There were a couple of nice moments both offensively and defensively from him but he also played Ohashi onside for Rovers' opening goal. Made way for Seriki with 25 or so to go

Japhet Tanganga 4

He'd shown some signs of late of getting back to his old composed self but regressed here as Ohashi, surely the smallest man on the pitch, got across him with ease to nod Rovers into a 3-0 half-time lead. It was almost comical how simple it was for the Rovers man - although no-one of a United persuasion was laughing

Mark McGuinness 3

Another United man all at sea as Rovers raced into a three-goal lead by half-time, with McGuinness not reappearing after the break. The three United conceded while he was on the pitch were terrible, although a number of his teammates can probably count themselves lucky that they got a chance to put it right in the second half

Harrison Burrows 4

Nowhere for Rovers' second goal, as the closest man to Morishita as he followed up and tapped home following two Davies saves, and nowhere for the third either as Alebiosu had time to nip to the Cricketers for a pint of Magnet before picking the cross for Ohashi to head home. One of many who could have been dragged at the break but he wasn't and he got United back into it from close range, which earned him another mark in his rating

Jairo Riedewald 4

Even the normally unflappable Riedewald looked a little more, well, flappable in a poor first half showing by United, as they moved the ball sideways and too slowly to allow Rovers to get back in numbers and crowd out the front two when the ball eventually came their way. Dragged at the break as United turned to youngsters Peck and Arblaster to try and inject some energy

Joe Rothwell 4

How quickly things can turn. At the weekend he was excellent, keeping United ticking over and people were talking about building a team around him next year. A few days later here, he was unable to exert the same influence over the game and was hooked along with Riedewald at half-time. Wilder has pointed to experience being key next season but only if they move the ball a lot quicker than they did here

Tahith Chong 3

Given a rare chance to impress down the right but didn't take it, one of four dragged at half-time.

Gus Hamer 5

Could and should have had an assist inside the first 30 seconds of the game as he won the ball back brilliantly before feeding Cannon, but was then caught under the flight of the ball a little for Rovers' opening goal. Neither he nor Burrows could get anywhere near Alebiosu as he crossed for Morishita to make it three.

But the pair then combined the other way as Hamer's effort was parried away by Toth, but Cannon recycled it and Burrows finished to pull one back. One moment rather summed up the night for United when Bindon found Hamer in space with a throw and Hamer lashed it straight out of play

Patrick Bamford 4

Went into the game on a high after two goals at Watford on Saturday but never looked like adding to that tally here, and struggled to hit it off with Cannon all evening - summed up in injury time when they both went for the same cross and the ball landed safely in the away goalkeeper’s arms

Tom Cannon 4

Got a chance to impress in place of O'Hare as Wilder returned to a two-up-top shape and there was a golden chance for the striker to justify it inside the first 30 seconds. Brilliant work from Hamer saw him win the ball back high before feeding it through the eye of a needle to send Cannon free, but he scuffed his effort and could only watch it dribble wide.

How different this game could have been had that nestled in the back of the net, as it really should. The rest of the half didn't really pick up for him from there, either, although he got an assist for Burrows' goal and later forced Toth into a save which earned a roar of appreciation from the Kop, flicking a header not too far wide soon after from Burrows' cross

Notable subs: Sydie Peck

Wasted little time getting into the thick of the action and squared up to Gardner-Hickman after a challenge, which at least showed some welcome fight on a mostly passive evening from United's perspective

Tyler Bindon 5

Came on on the right of a newly-formed back three and got forward from that role in a vaguely Basham-esque way, having a golden chance to make it 3-2 when Peck poked forward but Bindon snatched at it and stabbed it wide. Looked to be in real trouble with an ankle injury after acrobatically cutting out a throughball but with all five subs used he had no option but to soldier on for the team

Also used: Arblaster, Seriki, Hjelde