Sheffield United surely put at least a few toes in the Championship play-off final later this month after winning 3-0 away at Bristol City in the first leg of their semi-final this evening. The Blades have to finish the job in Monday’s second leg but have certainly broken the back of the job here.
The Blades went into the game looking to banish a miserable previous record in the play-offs and thought they had made a dream start when Tyrese Campbell got to the ball ahead of City goalkeeper Max O’Leary to put them 1-0 ahead, before a late, late offside flag cut short the celebrations which were well under way - both on the pitch and in the away end.
City rallied and went close when Joe Williams’ thunderous effort rattled the Blades crossbar before another big referee decision altered the course of the game, with Rob Dickie sent off for the second time against the Blades this season when he bundled over Kieffer Moore.
Harrison Burrows stepped up and converted from the spot before adding an assist for Andre Brooks’ second, with the Blades fans sent into dreamland when sub Callum O’Hare added a third from close range. Here’s how we rated the Blades’ players on an evening to remember at Ashton Gate...
1. Michael Cooper - 6
Will have had his heart in his mouth when Williams' thunderous effort arrowed towards his top corner early on, and will have been mightily relieved seconds later when it bounced off his crossbar and rebounded to safety. He didn't make his first proper save until well after the hour mark and even that was meat and drink as he gathered comfortably | Stu Forster/Getty Images Photo: Stu Forster/Getty Images
2. Hamza Choudhury - 7
Back in the side at right-back ahead of Gilchrist and the injured Seriki and was dominant down that side, using every ounce of his nous and experience to get himself out of tight spots and keep his head when some around him of a City persuasion were losing theirs. Won so many aerial duels as well - the second most, six, after Moore Photo: George Wood
3. Anel Ahmedhodzic - 8
The big Bosnian barely broke sweat all evening - not from a lack of effort but from his pure class. He seemed to be in the right place at the right time so often to snuff out the danger and was typically composed on the ball, too Photo: Andrew Yates
4. Jack Robinson - 8
The skipper's inclusion caused a bit of chatter on social media pre-match after he came back in for Holding, but this was as solid a display as you'll have seen all season. He and Ahmedhodzic came up against different threats, in Wells and then Armstrong after the break, but both passed the tests with flying colours. Replaced late on by Holding, perhaps as a protective measure at 3-0 | Getty Images