Goals from Damien Delaney, David Norris and a stunning third from Connor Wickham saw the Blues to a 3-0 victory over nine-man Sheffield United. Delaney put Town in front with a header in a very poor first half with Norris adding the second after the break. Grant Leadbitter missed a penalty before Wickham brilliantly ran from his own half to seal the win, prior to Robert Kozluk and Lee Williamson receiving red cards within a minute during the closing stages.

Blues boss Paul Jewell named not just a side unchanged from the 2-1 win at Derby in midweek, but also the same bench. Loan midfielder Jimmy Bullard made his home debut but there was no place in the squad for new signing Andy Drury. The Blades included former Blues Marcus Bent as their lone striker.

At a windy Portman Road, the visitors started the stronger and won a couple of early corners, Daniel Bogdanovic causing a moment of panic with a near post flick.

On 11 Marcus Bent looped a shot into Márton Fülöp’s arms then two minutes later Neill Collins, making his second debut for the Blades, turned a corner over the bar with Sheffield United still looking the better of the two sides, Town having started in a somewhat lethargic manner.

Bullard curled a freekick into keeper Steve Simonsen’s arms in the 19th minute after one-time loan Blade Lee Martin had been fouled by Nick Montgomery, then, with the Blues finally appearing to have woken up, Connor Wickham smashed a shot across the face of goal from a tight angle on the left.

Town went ahead in the 29th minute when Jimmy Bullard sent in a freekick from the right and Damien Delaney lost his marker and ran in to head home at the far post. The Irishman’s third goal of the season will have helped him in his cause to win a new contract from manager Paul Jewell with the Sir Bobby Robson stand urging the club to “Sign him up”.

The lead probably flattered the Blues at that stage with the visitors having posed the greater threat, although without being particularly impressive themselves. On 33 Blades midfielder Michael Doyle was booked for handling the ball on the ground as Priskin broke.

There was a scare for the Blues on 35 when Elian Parrino crossed from the right and Grant Leadbitter mis-hit his clearance across the six-yard box, Carlos Edwards getting to it ahead of lurking Sheffield United striker and putting the ball behind.

Town were probably a touch fortunate to be ahead at the break after a scrappy half in which the run of play, if there had been such a thing, was more in favour of the Blades than the Blues. The wind was a not insignificant factor, although neither side had helped matters by going long too often.

Márton Fülöp was quickly off his line ahead of Bogdanovic in the 50th minute, the Hungarian keeper chesting the ball away from the Blades striker as he ran on to a through ball.

The Blues went further in front in the 53rd minute, again from a set piece. After the Blades had failed to clear a corner, Wickham laid the ball to Delaney on the edge of the area, the Irishman sending in a looping cross from the left which top scorer David Norris scrambled home at the far post.

Town’s second goal was the signal for a double Sheffield United substitution, Alan Quinn’s brother Stephen took over in midfield from Michael Doyle and Mark Yeates replaced the anonymous Marcus Bent.

The Blues almost increased their lead moments later when Priskin chased a long ball over the top and lobbed the advancing Simonsen, only for it to strike the post and bounce to safety.

On 59 Leadbitter went almost as close with an overhead kick from a Martin cross which flew wide. After Robert Kozluk had taken over from Parrino at right-back for the visitors, Priskin again threatened, shooting over after cutting in from the left.

As the game moved into its final 20 minutes Shane Lowry was booked for a foul on Martin, before Delaney cleared after Mark Yeates, man of the match when the Blades won 3-0 at Portman Road in May, had sent in a dangerous ball after cutting into the area from the right.

But since the second goal it had been mainly Town with the confidence draining out of the visitors and the Blues gaining belief and passing the ball around with far greater composure. Paul Jewell’s men were proving a big threat on the break as the Blades pushed forward in greater numbers to try and get back into the game.

Leadbitter’s powerful volley was blocked on 71, then Martin went wide after being played in on the right of the area. Five minutes later, Williamson was booked for a foul on Kennedy, a transgression he compounded by kicking the ball at the grounded former Ireland international.

With nine minutes remaining the Blues were awarded a penalty after Lowry was adjudged to have brought Priskin down at the far post as he looked to add the final touch to Wickham’s cross from the left.

Referee Dave Phillips consulted with his linesman before making the decision and it may have been a touch harsh on the Blades defender. In any case the issue was made academic when Simonsen did superbly to get across to his left to push Leadbitter’s spotkick around the post.

The Blues should have made it three in the 83rd minute when excellent work from Martin played Norris in on goal, but the Blues’ skipper shot straight at Simonsen. A minute later Colin Healy replaced Jimmy Bullard, the loanee receiving a rapturous reception from his new fans.

On 87 Connor Wickham sealed it with a goal of superb quality. The 17-year-old sublimely took down McAuley's clearance wide on the right inside the Town half, taking the ball forward past a couple of Blades before bringing it into the area, beating another defender and placing it beyond the advancing Simonsen from eight yards. It was certainly the best goal of the youngster’s career so far, one which saw keeper Fülöp run the length of the pitch to celebrate with his team-mates.

The afternoon got almost impossibly worse for the visitors a minute later when sub Robert Kozluk was red-carded for an off the ball reaction to a Lee Martin challenge in front of the dugouts. Kozluk has previous experience of getting first use of the Portman Road Wash ‘N Go having been sent off in the Blades’ 4-1 defeat to Town in May 1999.

Before the game had restarted, Sheffield United were down to nine men, the already-booked Lee Williamson talking his way into a second yellow card and then an inevitable red.

Priskin and Martin — amongst last season’s big money failures — received huge ovations as they were substituted, Jason Scotland and, to an even bigger roar, Luciano Civelli taking over as the game moved into injury times. The Argentinian was making his first senior appearance since suffering his multi-ligament knee injury 23 months ago.

In injury time David Norris shot into Simonsen’s arms but there were to be no more goals. Portman Road erupted at the final whistle after what was in the end a very comfortable victory, their third league win on the trot for the first time since the end of the 2008/09 season.

The first half had been disappointing and the Blues were perhaps a touch fortunate to be in front, but once the second goal went in Town’s confidence was boosted, they upped their game and there was only one winner.

After Wickham’s brilliant third, as the game reached an all-action close, the Blades looked like a side in disarray with both sendings off utterly needless.

The relegation fears of a few weeks ago would now appear to be firmly behind the Blues — now in 14th, 10 points off the bottom three - and a few more results like the last three could see Paul Jewell’s men push on into the group chasing the play-off places.

Town: Fülöp, Edwards, Kennedy, McAuley, Delaney, Leadbitter, Bullard (Healy 84), Norris, Wickham, Martin (Civelli 90), Priskin (Scotland 90). Unused: Peters, Lee-Barrett, Smith, O'Dea.

Sheffield United: Simonsen, Parrino (Kozluk 61), Lowry, Collins, Ertl, Montgomery, Williamson, Doyle (Quinn 56), Cresswell, Bogdanovic, Bent (Yeates 56). Unused: Jordan, Yeates, Calve, Long, Lowton. Referee: Dave Phillips (West Sussex). Att: 18,280 (Sheffield United: 429).

Photo: Action Images

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