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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...
5. Tyler Bindon 6
A bit of a mixed bag for the Forest loan man, who at times was given a tough ride physically against the former Blades youngster Lankshear but at others looked really composed and strong in the tackle as well. Still more good than bad, though | UGC Photo: UGC
6. Harrison Burrows 6
With McCallum sidelined for the foreseeable and new boy Hjelde in the building this was a chance for Burrows to stake a claim for the starting berth he enjoyed for the most part of last season and a right-footed assist for Peck will have done him no harm. The same can't be said for the challenge of Makosso as the two slid for a ball and the Oxford man made contact with Burrows' head | UGC Photo: UGC
7. Andre Brooks 8
The starboy shines again. He went into this one looking for his third goal in as many games and it duly arrived in the second half, with an inevitability about it as the ball fell to him after good work from Cannon. He shifted it onto his left foot beautifully with one touch before holding off his man and riding a challenge before firing home, slightly off balance, via a touch from the goalkeeper in front of the Kop. He's really coming of age of late down that right wing - and showing why clubs were interested in him before the UK transfer window shut. His eye-of-a-needle passes to the overlapping Seriki to set him free down the right have been another hallmark of their connection recently and there was another early example here, with Brooks also showing lovely vision to set Cannon free for a rare sight of goal later in the second half. Unsurprisingly looked to be suffering with cramp and made way for Ogbene to a standing ovation | UGC Photo: UGC
8. Oliver Arblaster 6
The boyhood Blade was back in the side in place of the injured Davies, with Soumare on the bench and Phillips and Rothwell signed too late to play, and again showed signs of his quality and ring-rust in almost equal measure. He was just a second too late as he slid into a challenge with Placheta and picked up a booking as a result but then found a lovely pass to Burrows out on the right to set up Peck's equaliser. Made way after an hour for Soumare | UGC Photo: UGC