It was the Blades versus the Tigers in tonight?s Yorkshire derby and it was Neil Warnock?s Blades who marched on with a 3-1 victory. Goals from Paul Ifill, Danny Webber and Chris Armstrong were enough to see-off Peter Taylor?s Hull City at the K.C Stadium.
United took the early upper-hand and forced the first corner which resulted in Neil Shipperley blasting a half-volley wide of the mark. On 12 minutes the Blades should have taken the lead when Michael Tonge finally received the ball and fired a fierce volley at Bo Myhill, who brilliantly tipped round the post. Stuart Elliott then out-jumped his marker but failed to make anything of his header from a Hull corner. Nicky Barmby came close when he attempted to lob Paddy Kenny but the Blades shot-stopper tip the ball over the bar.
It was the Tigers who took a deserved lead though through a spectacular Jason Price goal. The right winger, who was subject to taunts of ?gyppo? by Blades fans due to his 60?s-style afro, swooped to curl the ball into the top corner on 23 minutes. City then pushed for a second and Paddy Kenny was forced into another fine save on 26 minutes from Andy Dawson?s free-kick.
The Blades pulled level on 31 minutes though after some neat link up play on the edge of the Tigers area, but a slice of luck was required too. Neil Shipperley closely controlled a long ball before laying it off to Paul Ifill who battled to get his shot away, which eventually found its way into the back of the net via a big deflection. Leigh Bromby should have done better moments later when he found himself unmarked at the back post but his chest-down and volley was blocked.
Leon Cort almost restored Hull?s lead when he met a flick on with a powerful volley which Paddy Kenny again saved brilliantly, this time tipping the ball on to the post. United took the lead just before the break though and Jason Price was involved again after a collision just inside the United half. He went down under pressure from David Unsworth but the referee Mike Thorpe allowed play to go on during which Unsworth played a pin-point ball into the feet of Danny Webber who used his pace and trickery to put the Hull rearguard under pressure, before side-stepping Andy Dawson and curling past Bo Myhill in the City goal.
Two minute into the second half and United were pushing for a third through Chris Armstrong, whose shot was parried by Myhill. From the resulting corner, Phil Jagielka tame, floating shot seemed to take an age to reach the danger area with Blades fans urging the ball in, but it eventually struck the far post. On 51 minutes United did make it 3-1 through the recently-recovered Chris Armstrong, who bagged his first goal since November 2003. Danny Webber?s neat cross was met by Armstrong who drilled the ball home from a tight angle to send the Blades fans wild again.
Jason Price almost pulled on back 7 minutes later but he couldn?t quite latch on to a header across the face of goal by Stuart Elliott. Former Blade Curtis Woodhouse was introduced on the hour as a substitute for Peter Taylor?s side and received a warm reception from the away fans. Neil Shipperley should have done better with a header which Bo Myhill collected with ease, and could have had his 10th of the season had Danny Webber?s pass been timed better from the right. Phil Jagielka came closest to making it 4-1 though when he met David Unsworth?s corner with a header which flew inches over.
Hull?s final chance fell to Leon Cort and the home fans thought he had given them a late chance, but his head only found the side-netting. The game then fizzled out with Curtis Woodhouse and Danny Webber both picking up bookings, as the Blades held on for another much-needed victory and maintained there crown as Yorkshire number one.
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