Sheffield United 1 Brighton 0: Paul Heckingbottom's reaction as David McGoldrick scores winner at Bramall Lane

Sheffield United beat Brighton and Hove Albion 1-0 at Bramall Lane this evening.
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This is how the action unfolded, along with post-match reaction from both camps.

Blades v Brighton LIVE from Bramall Lane

Key Events

  • David McGoldrick put the Blades ahead
  • Moder later had an equaliser ruled out for offside

Graham Potter’s post-match reaction...

We’re disappointed, of course. We weren’t as good as we’ve been recently, we had a decent chance and then gave a poor goal away. They defend well, credit to them, and we pushed and pushed and lacked a bit of quality, but still created enough to score. But we didn’t, and that’s what football is all about.

We had decent possession of the ball but we weren’t aggressive enough on the press and then a mistake, a heavy touch, and overall a poor goal. That doesn’t make it easy because they defend deep and we had to break them down. We could have got a goal, but it wasn’t to be.

We tried to keep width, get players in wide areas to have another option. Neal had another chance that went over the bar, but it needed a bit more quality over the course of the game if we’re being critical of ourselves.

We’re disappointed we haven’t won the game, everyone is fighting for something.

PH: Victory for the fans

We want to win for the fans. We know what’s happened, we’re a Championship club next season, but that doesn’t mean we’re not going to give everything between now and the end of the season. We might be planning for next season but we have to pick up points and give performances like that.

PH on victory continued

For us it was about being clinical and doing our jobs, one-on-one. We said all season that we’ve been in top and missed opportunities, and then been punished. So to go in front makes a big difference. Then we had to defend and put our bodies on the line.

Paul Heckingbottom’s post-match reaction

He’s asked if the players deserve credit for that performance tonight...

The utmost credit. We spoke about questions being asked of us, so for them it’s justice and the right result for their attitude. It’s been a tough season but not once have they given in, and it’s nice for us to get the rub of the green. We deserved the three points.

and it’s a win and a clean sheet for the Blades at Bramall Lane - too late to affect their survival hopes, but a welcome respite from a turgid run of results. It wasn’t a classic by any means but David McGoldrick’s early strike - and VAR’s decision to rule out Brighton’s equaliser - proved decisive. Stay tuned for post-match reaction from both camps plus more reaction from Bramall Lane

Corner for Brighton

with two minutes of added time remaining, the Brighton ‘keeper Sanchez comes and gets his head to it but can only flick it on and when the cross comes back in, Ramsdale claims it and falls to the turf while his teammates praise him

Four minutes to be added on

at the end of this game, for United to see it out and seal a rare victory...

as he dives to his left and touches behind the shot from Izquierdo, it looked like it might have been going just wide from the Brighton sub but Ramsdale wasn’t to know that and saved acrobatically

for Osborn, with 10 minutes to go to see out the game

as a nice move down the right sees Baldock overlap and cross for his right-back Bogle in the middle, he can’t get a good enough connection on the ball and John Lundstram is coming on for the final 15 minutes or so...

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