Sheffield United signed off their 2010 home campaign with victory against play-off chasing Swansea City, denting the visitors promotion hopes in the process.
Richard Cresswell thought he had added to his opening strike at the death, only to see De Vries spill into his own goal, to give the Blades a 2-0 advantage.
United welcomed back Paddy Kenny in goal, to a resounding cheer before the game, and amongst the euphoria of the goalkeeper’s return, some may have overlooked Gary Naysmith’s return to the side after missing the majority of the season.
Henri Camara started alongside a patched up Cresswell up front, in what could prove to be his final appearance at Bramall Lane.
It was hardly free-flowing attacking football by the Blades, but it was a professional performance throughout that ensured all three points stayed in South Yorkshire.
The Swans went into the game knowing that a win could see them guarantee a play-off position, and from the off the returning Blades ‘keeper was likely to be the busier of the two; United’s central midfield pairing rarely setting foot over the halfway line.
The impressive Darren Pratley forced Kenny into his first save low to his right, and felt he should have had a penalty when Nick Montgomery felled him with five minutes prior to half-time, but a free-kick on the edge of the area was the eventual decision.
Mark Yeates replaced the injured Stephen Quinn after half an hour, and operating on the left-hand side barely got a sniff as the Blades failed to create.
The battle between Pratley and the Blades defence continued into the second half, first of all forcing Kenny into a save, before going down (easily) in the area under a challenge once again.
On the hour however, the Blades took the lead; eat play on the left between Yeates and Cresswell saw the latter flick the ball up with his back to goal before volleying left-footed across goal into the top corner, making him United’s leading scorer of this campaign with 13.
After trying his own luck so often previously, Pratley this time turned provider, sliding Mark Gower in on the left, but he dragged his shot wide of Kenny’s left-hand post.
The Swans set up camp in United’s half, and forced the Blades defence deeper as the game went on, but Kevin Blackwell’s men almost grabbed a second on the break; Yeates lobbed pass being met on the volley by subsitute Ched Evans but De Vries was equal to it.
As the fourth official indicated four minutes to add on, the Swans’ ‘keeper didn’t get so lucky from Cresswell’s next effort. Little’s break on the right created the space and when Cresswell looked to have overrun the ball on the left, his cut-back hit the sprawling De Vries and rolled into the bottom corner.
Kenny tipped over a Swansea free-kick to cap a fine performance both individually, and as a team.
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