A last gasp Chris Morgan goal denied Town a deserved first win of the season and took them to the bottom of the Championship as Sheffield United came from two behind to draw 3-3 at Bramall Lane. The Blades had gone ahead through a controversial Darius Henderson goal but the Blues struck back through Jon Walters, Grant Leadbitter and Gareth McAuley, before Henderson pulled one back and Morgan equalised.
Roy Keane made four changes from the side which lost to Newcastle on Saturday. Out went Jack Colback, Pim Balkestein, Damien Delaney and the injured Alex Bruce and in came Alan Quinn, Gareth McAuley, Jaime Peters at left-back and Tommy Smith as the Blues reverted to 4-4-2. Jon Walters moved up front and took the captain’s armband.
The game’s first goalmouth action led to the first goal. A shot from the edge of the area deflected into the air and would have been claimed by Richard Wright but for Henderson jumping into him. A freekick seemed a formality, however, Eddie Ilderton and his linesman somehow failed to spot the foul and Henderson tapped in from close range.
Town seemed to be spurred into action by the injustice of the goal and took the game to the home side. On 11 the game threatened to boil over after Tamás Priskin caught Blades keeper Mark Bunn when chasing a pass into the box with Chris Morgan inevitably at the centre of the melee. Three minutes later Morgan was booked for a foul on Alan Quinn shortly after a similarly rash challenge on Priskin.
Stephen Quinn saw a shot saved by Wright, but in the main it was Town and on 20 Priskin hit a shot on the turn from a tight angle which flew over.
On 23 the Blues got finally got back on terms. Carlos Edwards sent in a low cross from the right and Jon Walters flicked the ball with his heel and beat Bunn.
Two minutes later Priskin was rather harshly booked for handball as he charged down a clearance with the Blues continuing to have much the better of the game.
In the 33rd minute, the Blues went in front. Leadbitter exchanged a one-two with Walters, then hit a low shot into the corner of the net which Bunn really ought to have saved.
Ched Evans was pointlessly booked for handball in the 38th minute, referee Ilderton having created himself a precedent with the earlier yellow card shown to Priskin.
Liam Trotter, doing well in the midfield holding role, headed a long throw straight at Bunn in the 41st minute, but the home side started to come more into the game as half-time approached with a dangerous ball flying across Richard Wright’s goal from the left.
Alan Quinn could have put the Blues further in front in injury time but he scraped his left foot shot over the bar when in space on the edge of the area.
Sheffield United were booed off by their supporters at the break, Town having enjoyed probably their best half of the season. Rather than causing heads to drop, the highly dubious Blades goal seemed to incite a positive reaction from Roy Keane’s side.
The second period started in much the same vein as the majority of the first. Tamás Priskin headed the half’s first chance through to the keeper. On 53 Kyle Walker was booked for a foul on Quinn.
Jon Stead replaced the very impressive Tamás Priskin on 57 with the Blues increasingly sitting back and trying to catch the home side on the break. Stead immediately forced a save from Bunn when being pulled back by Andrew Davies.
Wright saved from Henderson, then at the other end Walters shot wide. The home side were starting to push for an equaliser, Wright saving well from Stephen Quinn, although after a flag had been raised, and then claiming a high ball ahead of Ched Evans.
On 70 the Blues increased their lead. Grant Leadbitter sent in a corner from the right and Gareth McAuley headed the ball down and into the net to claim the first goal of his Town career. Lee Martin replaced Alan Quinn at left midfield.
Town were generally looking comfortable, but seven minutes later the home side pulled a goal back when Sheffield United sub Glen Little brought the ball in from the right past Tommy Smith and fed Henderson, who took a touch before hitting a shot across Richard Wright and into the net.
The game was set for a nervy last 13 minutes and the home side threw everything at the Blues, although Town had a few moments of danger on the break, Martin forcing a save from Bunn. Pablo Couñago replaced Jon Walters for the final four minutes, Grant Leadbitter taking the armband.
It was proving to be an anxious last few minutes for Town fans and on 88 a ball flew across the box untouched and was claimed by Wright.
Town were just looking like they would see out the four minutes of injury time when United won a corner on the left. The ball came over and slipped through Richard Wright’s fingers and Chris Morgan followed up at the far post to dash Town hopes of a first win of the season.
The players looked devastated by the blow and it could have got worse with James Harper shooting wide moments before referee Ilderton blew the final whistle.
Town would have been well worth the win but as so often this season an individual defensive error allowed the three points to slip through their grasp. As at Doncaster, the Blues should have seen out the final few minutes when ahead but showed their frailties at the back and perhaps the lack of confidence that a long winless run brings.
Questions should certainly be asked of referee Eddie Ilderton for allowing Sheffield United’s first goal when Darius Henderson clearly jumped into Richard Wright rather than for the ball, although the Blues did well to recover from there and were deservedly ahead at the break.
Overall, it was a heartening display, despite again failing to claim the victory, against a Sheffield United side which will be amongst the play-off contenders come May. Liam Trotter put in a more confident display in the midfield holding role, while Tamás Priskin held the ball up well and looked to be developing an understanding with Jon Walters, who netted a clever goal.
Jaime Peters again impressed at left-back, particularly with Quinn ahead of him, while Gareth McAuley won ball after ball in the air against the Blades’ traditionally huge frontline.
Bottom of the league and still without a win, but that first three-point haul can’t be too far away now if the Blues play as they did at Bramall Lane with a visit to Barnsley up next on Saturday.
Town: R Wright, Rosenior, Peters, McAuley, Smith, Leadbitter, Trotter, Quinn (Martin 70), Edwards, Walters (Couñago 86), Priskin (Stead 58). Unused: Lee-Barrett, D Wright, Balkestein, Colback. Att: 28,366.