Sheffield United 'must learn' to cope with timewasting teams after Birmingham City and QPR frustration

Striker Oli McBurnie hinted at gamesmanship tactics from Birmingham City in their 1-1 draw in South Yorkshire on Saturday, before the Blades were similarly frustrated by QPR in a 1-0 defeat to the R’s three days later.

Rangers goalkeeper Seny Dieng was warned over timewasting as early as the 16th minute, with referee James Linington eventually brandishing a token yellow card to defender Jimmy Dunne in the 82nd as he took an age to take a goal-kick with Dieng injured.

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Heckingbottom was keen to stress he was taking nothing away from QPR after their victory, but admits he is growing increasingly frustrated with timewasting tactics at Bramall Lane.

“The first booking was after 82 minutes,” Heckingbottom said. “It’s absolutely stupid.

“We know it's a tactic. The problem is, we know the gameplan at Bramall Lane for away teams. They're going to come, sit behind the ball and play on the counter and take as long as they can, all of the time.

“QPR maybe had 15 to 20 minutes possession but I guarantee they only had 10 minutes ball in play possession. So it's poor.

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“You can say it's the same for everyone but it isn't. If that's the tactic for every team that comes to our place, then it isn't.

“That is against us in games but we have to deal with it. I've spoken to the players, it's up to us to try and get the refs to see that. But they might not.

“So we know the gameplan, we can't be surprised by it. We've just got to accept it and deal with it.”

McBurnie attracted the ire of Birmingham fans after commenting that the Blues were “quite good at frustrating us, staying on the floor when they were injured” on Saturday. “It was frustrating,” he added.

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The striker was similarly unhappy but in a different direction after his side’s defeat at home to QPR, remonstrating with referee Linington over his failure to award United a late penalty and picking up a booking after the final whistle that rules him out of this weekend’s trip to Stoke City.

United make the trip to Staffordshire top of the league table, but level on points with second-placed Norwich City.

“There were lots of things we did really, really well,” Heckingbottom said of his side’s display against QPR. “But we left a runner for their goal. It's too easy, we don't concede goals like that. That's the disappointing thing.

“Then they defended great. I'm not taking anything away from QPR. But likewise I'm not disappointed with our performance. Just the result.”

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