Chieo Ogbene came off the bench to score his first Sheffield United goal as the Blades came from behind to beat Oxford United at Bramall Lane tonight. This was the Blades’ game in hand after the initial clash with the U’s in early January was frozen off.
And they made it count with three points that lifts them up to 15th and to within eight points of sixth-placed Wrexham, with 48 still to play for this season.
United went behind early on when Michael Cooper fumbled a Cameron Brannagan shot and Myles Peart-Harris took advantage to tap home, and that allowed the visitors to sit in and frustrate the Blades even further.
Their plan worked until five minutes before the break, when Sydie Peck finished off a good move involving Oliver Arblaster and Harrison Burrows, before the in-form Andre Brooks continued his red-hot form with a third in as many games to put them ahead.
Ogbene then came off the bench to put the gloss on victory after a ridiculous pass from Gus Hamer sent him free, and United were left to reflect on a job well done at a freezing cold Bramall Lane. Here’s how we rated them on the night...
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1. Sheffield United Player Ratings v Oxford United
Sheffield United Player Ratings v Oxford United | UGC
2. Michael Cooper 5
The United No.1 has shown signs of late of getting back to the reliable presence he was last season but he made a hash of a save for Oxford's opener, spilling Branagan's effort into the path of Peart-Harris to tap home for 1-0. Replays showed there was a bit of swerve on the ball but a goalkeeper of Cooper's quality should really snaffle that up easily and it allowed Oxford to sit in and try and frustrate United, which they did until Peck got them back on level terms five minutes before the break, before Brooks and Ogbene spared his blushes even further | UGC Photo: UGC
3. Femi Seriki 6
Seriki's telepathic partnership with Brooks down the right is becoming a real headache for opposition sides and the right-back had a decent-looking penalty appeal turned down midway through the first half when he went down under the challenge of Spencer, but ref Backhouse waved away the United appeals. | UGC Photo: UGC
4. Japhet Tanganga 6
Straight back into the side after suspension and looked like he'd never been away, even having a foray forward in the second half. In fact the only time he looked in any trouble was when he crashed straight into the post from a corner but it didn't seem to have affected him too much | UGC Photo: UGC