Sheffield United had to settle for a share of the spoils against Derby County at Bramall Lane this afternoon as the 10 men Rams denied the Blades’ late push for a winner. The Blades trailed to Bobby Clark’s opener in the first half.
But the game changed when Dion Sanderson saw red after two bookings and United sensed blood after Patrick Bamford’s equaliser, pushing for a winner. Tyrese Campbell saw a shot pushed onto the bar by Jacob Zetterstrom before he denied Sydie Peck superbly in injury time.
Tahith Chong, Harrison Burrows and Campbell again all went close to a winner that would have lifted the roof off Bramall Lane but it never arrived and it was Derby fans who were happier at full time.
Here’s how we rated United’s players on the day...
9. Ben Brereton Diaz 4
Didn't get a great reception from the Derby fans who cheered him on at Pride Park last season but his performance will have delighted them this afternoon as he struggled to have any real impact on the game whatsoever until around the hour mark, when he exchanged passes with Bamford and looked to curl one into the top corner but couldn't keep it down. His poor afternoon came to an end soon after when he was replaced by Donovan | ugc
10. Patrick Bamford 6
A strange game for United's No.45, and one he spent large parts of on the periphery before coming up with the equaliser 10 minutes from time. He was brave to bundle home Donovan's chipped cross and took a whack from Zetterstrom in the process, looking to have hurt one of his shoulders after going down for treatment on a similar problem in the first half. It was unclear if it was the same arm but he went straight off and hopefully it's nothing too serious, although it didn't look great | ugc
11. Tom Cannon 5
Another quiet afternoon for Cannon who was left chasing shadows for the most part after being left without any real service whatsoever from those behind him. By the time he made way he had the fewest touches of any of the United starters - and only a few more than Bamford, which probably tells its own story of United's fortunes until the red card and equaliser changed the balance of the game | ugc
12. Subs: Femi Seriki
Came on for Choudhury and didn't take long to make a mark in the game as he looked to break away and drew the foul from the brainless Sanderson, who was already on a yellow card for wiping out Chong and was given the most obvious of second ones from ref Martin to send his team down to 10 men | ugc