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...
9. Gus Hamer - 7.5
Went into the game with all eyes on him as United's best creative player and lived up to that billing inside the first two minutes when he stuck the ball between the legs of Hirakawa. Four key passes was the most by a United player by some margin, and he could have had a tap-in at the back stick from Campbell's cross had Moore not diverted the ball away from his better-placed teammate Photo: Mike Egerton
10. Tyrese Campbell - 6
Looked to have put the Blades into an early lead when he got to the ball ahead of O'Leary and poked home but his celebrations were cut short by a ridiculously late offside flag against Peck at the back post. Could and probably should have got on the scoresheet again later on when he sprang the offside trap and went clear, but O'Leary stood tall and blocked his effort. As has been the case a few times he was on the periphery of the game in terms of touches - by the time he went off, only Cooper had fewer for United - but he could easily have walked away with a couple of goals to his name on another day. Replaced by O'Hare Photo: George Wood
11. Kieffer Moore - 8
Came in as one of seven changes as Wilder elected to return to his two-striker set-up and was straight into his work in the air, leaving McCrorie dumped on the turf after one aerial challenge between the pair. Caused havoc from Robinson's long throw in the build-up to Campbell's "goal" and then won the penalty from which they took the lead again, after outpacing the panicking Dickie who clumsily brought him down to get sent off against the Blades for the second time this season. Won a huge seven aerial duels all evening in a proper No.9 display Photo: Dan Istitene
12. Callum O'Hare - 7
Perhaps unfortunate not to start after United's change of shape removed his usual No.10 role but he showed his importance to the cause after coming off the bench, buzzing about to score a goal and having a role in Brooks' goal with a cute stepover to dummy the cross. Unfortunate not to get an 8 but subs don't usually get a mark never mind one as high as this | Getty Images