Huff and lots of puff but no goals as Sheffield United fail to break down Rotherham United

Which probably explains why, following a predictably hard-fought stalemate against Rotherham, Sheffield United’s manager preferred to talk about the positives he felt the visitors could take from a game high on endeavour but, when it mattered most, low on attacking inspiration. Still, second in the Championship and unbeaten in 11 outings, even his counterpart Matt Taylor believes United are destined for promotion.

“If you don’t stand up to Rotherham, then they’ll beat you up,” Heckingbottom said. “We did that but the only place it went wrong for us was in the final third - either not getting a shot off or making a poor execution.”

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The momentum of this derby ebbed, meandered and flowed. United knew what they wanted to do and, when the opportunity arose, appeared pretty accomplished at doing it. The only trouble was, from their perspective at least, Taylor’s side were also effective too. The difference his seven new signings made was plain to see. One suspects, after an impressive defensive display, Rotherham now have enough to secure second tier status for another season at least. Certainly, they didn’t look like a team battling against relegation here, limiting promotion chasing United to only two shots on target.

“I’m content with the point,” Taylor said, before providing an accurate and succinct account of why the game ended goalless. “Some of their work through the middle third was quality. But we defended our box well. We’ve not been open and we’ve not been hurt.”

“We’ve come up against Blackburn and Watford recently,” he added. “They’re easily, with no disrespect to the rest of the league, the second best team in this division.”

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Rotherham had so many home debutants in their starting eleven, any neutrals among the crowd could be forgiven for thinking they’d arrived at Nottingham Forest rather than New York Stadium. One of those, Tarique Fosu, saw an early penalty appeal waved away when he ran into Anel Ahmedhodzic. Referee Graham Scott made exactly the right call on that occasion. And, despite the robust nature of the action, throughout most of the afternoon.

When they extricated themselves from the choke-hold Rotherham were attempting to place on them, United’s quality shone through. Jayden Bogle saw a shot deflected into Viktor Johansson’s arms before the Swede was required to save when Sander Berge, following a fine flowing move, attempted to thread the ball between the Swede’s right hand and the far post.

Taylor spent most of the opening period furiously scribbling into a notepad. But the patterns of play on display weren’t too difficult to fathom. United were more considered. Rotherham were direct, which nearly paid dividends when Hakeem Odoffin spurned the best chance of the half from Fosu’s centre.

It wasn’t until the closing stages that United began to truly find their rhythm.

Bogle, apparently deciding to forget he is a wing-back, blazed just over the crossbar after swivelling inside the area after collecting Berge’s pass. Ahmedhodzic put an effort wide from the former Derby County defender’s cross while substitute Billy Sharp saw an attempt plucked out of the air by Johansson.

“When we did get through,” Heckingbottom lamented, “We didn’t capitalise on it.”

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