Sydie Peck scored a goal and made another as Sheffield United got back to winning ways at the first attempt at Blackburn Rovers this evening. The Blades suffered their first defeat of the season at home to Norwich City at the weekend.
But they responded with plenty of character at Ewood Park, even if their play was far from free-flowing for the most part. They had to come from behind as well after Kristi Montgomery gave the home side the lead with a fine finish.
Peck was robbed of the ball for that goal but made amends with an assist for Tom Cannon, scoring at Ewood for the second time in two weeks, and then a goal of his own, a fine left-footed strike.
The Blades managed the game well from there although Michael Cooper made two smart saves to keep them ahead, denying Todd Cantwell and Jayden Fevrier.
Here’s how we rated United’s players on the night...
5. Rhys Norrington-Davies 6
Another 45 minutes of football for the left-back and he was solid enough, at times tucking in alongside Kitching to make a back three as McCallum dropped back into a wing-back role. Made way at the break for Campbell as United changed again to a more conventional back four | The Star/getty
6. Sam McCallum 6
Exposed a couple of times and will have been relieved when Alebiosu went clear but curled wide but went close at the other end when his cross-cum-shot somehow found its way through the hands of Pears and a defender had to tidy up behind him | The Star/Sport Image
7. Sydie Peck 7.5
In front of the watching England U21 manager Lee Carsley Peck couldn't have had a much more eventful evening of it here at Ewood. It began when he was robbed of the ball in a poor position by Montgomery who went on to stick it in the top corner to open the scoring - although , in mitigation, it wasn't a great call by Choudhury to play it into a congested area in the first place and rather sold his teammate short. But he went a long way to redeeming himself with the assist for Cannon's goal, before almost being caught out again soon after - this time from a Donovan pass - but Fevrier's shot was deflected just wide of the post. Then came his magic moment as a wonderful touch took him past the defender after Rothwell won the ball back again before a fine finish with his left boot put the Blades ahead. The couple of mishaps cost him my man of the match, although he likely won't care one bit | The Star/Sport Image
8. Joe Rothwell 7
Picked the pocket of Morishita in the build-up to Cannon's equaliser and did similar for Peck's as well as he returned to Ewood Park and more than played his part in midfield. He got a less-than-warm reception when he made his way around the pitch after making way for Phillips but that won't have mattered to him one bit with the Blades leading 2-1 when he and Choudhury made way | The Star/Sport Image