The Blades now have one foot in the Premiership after a dramatic Yorkshire derby win over Hull City. Goals from Neil Shipperley and Paul Ifill gave United a two-goal lead over Peter Taylor’s side but Stuart Elliott and Darryl Duffy pulled the Tigers level after two defensive lapses from the Blades. A late David Unsworth goal proved vital and gave the Red and White Wizards all three points.
The game was watched by 26,324 fans at Bramall Lane – the third highest attendance in the entire country, behind White Hart Lane and The Valley – and not one could complain about value for money as both sides contributed to a high-class Yorkshire derby.
Blades fans have almost come to expect their team to be slow out of the starting traps, and the players lived up to those expectancies. Hull had numerous half-chances to take the lead early on, just has Southampton had two weeks previous at Bramall Lane. Keith Andrews came closest early on when he fired in a hard, low drive from 25-yards out, which just crept past the post and into the advertising hoardings. The hefty Jon Parkin was next to try his luck when he controlled to ball at his feet before shooting, fortunately for United, past the post.
The Blades’ best chance came from a set piece on 14 minutes when Paul Ifill was brought down on the edge of the box. David Unsworth stood over the ball before curling an effort towards the top corner, which the impressive Hull ‘keeper Boaz Myhill pounced to save. Kevin Ellison tested the palms of Paddy Kenny on 23 minutes when he rifled in a powerful shot, which Kenny had to parry wide.
Phil Jagielka attempted an ambitious effort which flew over the bar but was to come even closer moments after. A typical Neil Shipperley flick-on left Paul Ifill with space to run into down the right wing, which he did before picking out Phil Jagielka in the box. Jagielka’s first time effort was brilliantly saved by Myhill with his legs, who also collected the loose ball before any Blades attacker could pounce.
United had picked up the pace and started to take the upper hand. Rob Kozluk out-umped his marker to latch onto the end of David Unsworth’s cross; but failed to direct his header on target. The opening goal arrived on 36 minutes though and it was United’s hefty striker Neil Shipperley who was the hero. Rob Kozluk and Paul Ifill combined before Michael Tonge’s pin-point cross found Shipperley who poked his foot out to jab the ball into the bottom corner.
Danny Webber almost doubled the lead just before the break but his hard and high shot was punched over by Boaz Myhill and the teams went in for half time.
Into the second half an United continued to look for goals, with Danny Webber again having a shot blocked after Hull failed to clear Unsworth’s cross. 1-0 became 2-0 though, on 52 minutes, when Paul Ifill celebrated the birth of his newly born baby with a super diving header. The ever-energetic Chris Armstrong picked out Webber down the left wing who planted a cross in the direction of Ifill who beat Andy Dawson to head past Boaz Myhill. The popular ‘baby in a cradle’ celebration followed from Ifill and his team-mates and the delight was evident.
It now seemed a case of ‘how many’. However, the Hull players refused to lie down and continued to play flowing football, whilst the 3,500 Tigers fans refused to keep quiet and sang their hearts out. Hull gaffer Peter Taylor replaced Bill Payne and Craig Fagan with Stuart Elliott and Darryl Duffy and was to prove a vital tactical change.
On 65 minutes Hull were back in the game. Stuart Green’s quick throw-in found Alton Thelwell, who controlled before picking out substitute Elliott who was in acres of space at the back post and blasted the ball into the roof of the net to give City hope.
Just minute’s later Hull should have had the opportunity to pull level after Paddy Kenny brought down Stuart Green in the box. It was a certain penalty but the referee waved play on and the Hull players and fans were furious. Kenny appeared to be in some pain from the incident and stayed down before receiving lengthy treatment.
Hull’s fury soon turned to delight though as they pulled level through Darryl Duffy on 71 minutes, and the Blades had fell to pieces. Kenny was still weary from the earlier collision but Duffy’s goal seemed to finish the Blades ‘keeper off as he took a blow to the head during Duffy’s strike. Morgan appeared to signal to the bench that Kenny had to go, and the green jersey appeared on the subs bench. A two-goal lead thrown away and Phil Jagielka to go in goal – it had turned so sour. Kenny was determined to stay on though and stay on he did.
In the 75th minute Kenny was again clattered as captain Chris Morgan opted to clear the danger rather than wait for the weary-looking Kenny. Morgan went flying into Kenny who was down for the third time, but the biggest danger was Morgan’s poor clearance which only found Elliott on the edge of the box, but he missed the target.
8 minutes from time the Blades almost regained the lead through the stretching Danny Webber. Ifill’s cross was back into the mix by Jagielka but it was inches too high for Webber who could only flick it over the bar.
A minute from time and it was David Unsworth’s turn to try to get the 3 points for the Blades when he unleashed a vicious drive from 25 yards which struck the post, much to the frustration of the United fans. Steven Kabba, who had earlier replaced Paul Ifill, was then put through on goal but his tame shot was parried for a corner, from which came something which can only be described as orgasmic.
Michael Tonge got the nod to take the corner from the usual taker Unsworth, who found space in the box. Morgan headed Tonge’s excellent corner back into the danger area before Webber turned and volleyed. Myhill saved as he fell to the ground but could do nothing about Unsworth’s blast into the roof of the net, which sent everyone, connected with United wild. Warnock looked to be in tears, Kenny looked smug in front of the Hull fans, Morgan looked delighted, Kozluk looked ecstatic, Armstrong looked relieved, Tonge looked overwhelmed and Unsworth looked everything – his expression said a thousand words. The Blades have one foot in the Premiership.
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