Match Reports

Henderson Spot On to rescue Blades

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Image for Henderson Spot On to rescue Blades

Skipper for the day Darius Henderson led by example as his brace from the penalty spot rescued the Blades from a fifth straight defeat.

The Reds had twice taken the lead through Anderson, Bogdanovic, but the Blades were helped out by referee Clattenburg on two occasions.

All the talk in the lead up to the game was of last year’s incident with Chris Morgan, but from the off it seemed evident that Andrew Davies and Jon Macken would be at the centre of the action. Arms flew from both men and Davies was lucky to escape serious action when he appeared to push a head into the former Man City striker.

The first clear chance of the game fell to Bogdanovic. The Maltese man sprinting clear after Kyle Walker had pushed forward but Matthew Kilgallon managed to block as the striker set himself to shoot.

Walker again almost helped Barnsley’s cause when he headed against his own cross-bar, as the Reds piled on the early pressure, and Ian Bennett twice had to stop from Bogdanovic.

Evans fired the Blades first chance wide before Harper tried his luck, and Kyle Walker’s low cross got the Barnsley backline in allsorts of problems.

Shotton picked up the game’s first booking as he took down Kilgallon, leaving the defender unable to continue despite Blackwell’s best efforts to keep him on the pitch through the pain barrier. It did however bring a return to action for Derek Geary, who has missed 16 months of football, leading to speculation that his career could be over.

Ian Bennett suffered a finger injury towards the end of the half, and Mark Bunn replaced the ‘keeper at half-time.

Barnsley eventually got the breakthrough on 53 minutes, Kozluk’s long throw wasn’t cleared and Anderson fired home the opener beyond Mark Bunn.

Keith Treacy almost equalised straight away but the shot at the end of his mazy run came back off the post and Ward couldn’t get a rebound in.

The Blades were gifted a golden opportunity shortly after when Clattenburg deemed a challenge by goalkeeper Luke Steele to be a foul on Ched Evans, resulting in a penalty for the Blades. Captain Henderson stepped up and blasted the ball into the top of the net.

Jon Macken had two golden opportunities just four yards from goal but both his header, and volley were well wide of Bunn’s goal. The hosts did soon re-take the lead, and it was the lively Bogdanovic who crouched to convert Macken’s cross into the goal from close range.

Former Blade Andy Gray was introduced after the goal along with Iain Hume at the expense of Macken and Bogdanovic, but it was the Blades strikers who saw the more immediate action.

Kyle Walker’s run culminated in a foul by Adam Hammill in the area, giving the Blades a second penalty. Henderson stepped up once again and this time sent the ‘keeper the wrong way with a placed effort into the bottom corner.

Doyle fired high and wide in the closing moments, but it wasn’t to be for the home side who were punished for not making more of their early chances.

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