Sheffield United's under-deployed weapon and an extremely annoying habit

The Star’s James Shield identifies five things we learned during a nerve-wracking game.

MORE: Hecky’s wonderful gesture to women’s manager

Persistence pays: United weren’t at their swashbuckling best. Neither were Watford. Which is probably a reflection of the respect they have for one another and also the high-stakes both are playing for: Automatic promotion back to the Premier League and, from the visitors’ perspective, top six qualification.

So this fixture was always going to be a test of nerve and the ability to grind out a result as much as it was skill. An improved second-half display saw United sneak over the line thanks to a scruffy own goal ‘scored’ by Ryan Porteous. Perseverance will be crucial between now and the end of the season, as matches become tighter and tighter.

MORE: Big player is back

Jack Robinson’s Long Throw: Really should lead to more goals for United. Okay, so he doesn’t produce those missile-like deliveries which fly on a horizontal trajectory into the box. But they are still dangerous.

Twice, once in each half, Oli McBurnie got his head on one of the centre-half’s Howitzers which prompted a scramble in the opposition box. It’s a weapon Heckingbottom’s men must work on ways of trying to utilise better. Not least because dead ball situations are probably going to decide more than one of their outings between now and May.

MORE: Ultimatum must be issued

Officials are going to test everyone’s patience: Not through any particular fault of their own. Rather, because every game in this country now appears to be governed as if VAR is in operation at the stadium when, in reality, it isn’t.

Players, managers and coaches understandably get frustrated when late flags are raised or moves which it eventually transpires have no chance of ending in a goal are allowed to unfold before the action is hauled back.

It happened countless times during United’s meeting with Slaven Bilic’s side, with both teams falling foul of this annoying trend.

MORE: Doyle would come back

Speaking of which: Referee Keith Stroud correctly signalled for an advantage during the first-half following a foul on Iliman Ndiaye, who had been poleaxed by Wesley Hoedt. He was duly booked. But when Jayden Bogle’s shot was blocked, Watford raced upfield on the counter-attack and nearly scored themselves through Keinan Davis.

The crowd was furious. So was United’s bench, with Heckingbottom waving his arms in frustration. It was one of those things but, with the 45-year-old already facing a touchline ban following his sending-off against Middlesbrough earlier this month, a reminder that - sometimes -he’s just going to have to take a deep breath.

MORE: The winning DNA

Total Concentration is Required: After conceding six goals in their last two outings before facing Watford, the clean sheet United kept will be celebrated nearly as much as the win. Their defence, on the whole, has been excellent since competition resumed in May. It was good to see normal service resumed.

Still, had Davis kept his wits about him after being left unmarked from a first-half corner then United would have fallen behind.

Heckingbottom’s men can’t afford to switch off for a second. The loss of Anel Ahmedhidzic to suspension, with the defender collecting his 10th caution of the campaign, will force them to reshuffle their options at the back.