Town lost ground in the promotion race after a 3-1 defeat away to 10-man Sheffield United. After the Blues had spurned a number of chances, the Blades took the lead through Callum O’Hare on 38 before Andre Brooks added to their lead in injury time of an ill-tempered first half. Jack Clarke pulled a goal back from the penalty spot on the hour but the South Yorkshiremen sealed the three points six minutes later through Patrick Bamford, who late on was red-carded for a second bookable offence after a dive in the area.

The Blues made five changes from the team which beat Bristol City 2-0 in midweek with new signing Anis Mehmeti on the bench.

Jacob Greaves came in at left-back and Jack Taylor returned in midfield, while Sindre Walle Egeli was on the right, Sammie Szmodics the number 10 and George Hirst the number nine. Leif Davis, Jens Cajuste, Wes Burns and Ivan Azon dropped to the bench.

Marcelino Nunez missed out due to the ankle injury he suffered on Tuesday, while Jaden Philogene (knee) and Chuba Akpom (groin) remained absent.

Mehmeti was among the subs having signed from the Robins on Friday with Elkan Baggott on the bench for the first time in the Championship this season.

Ashley Young was not included and appears to have been the player Kieran McKenna was referring to when he mentioned an injury suffered in training this week.

Sheffield United made six changes with Femi Seriki, Sam McCallum, Hamer, Brooks, Tom Davies and recent Town target Bamford, who skippered, coming into the team, with Ki-Jana Hoever, Harrison Burrows, Oliver Arblaster, Tahith Chong, Tom Cannon and Tyrese Campbell all among the subs.

On-loan Town wideman Chieo Ogbene was unavailable against his parent side, while ex-Blues loanee Mark McGuinness began at the heart of the Blades’ defence.

After Szmodics had been caught late in the centre circle by Davies, Bamford smashed an early shot well wide from the left of the area.

The first big chance fell to the Blues in the fourth minute. Darnell Furlong’s cross looped up in the air, Hirst challenged with two defenders and the ball reached Jack Clarke at the back post, but former Sunderland man volleyed over with the outside of his right boot.

Town had another huge chance within a minute. Walle Egeli caught Ben Mee in possession a third of the way inside the home side’s half. The Norwegian brought the ball on to the edge of the area before hitting a low shot which Michael Cooper tipped past his post, although it looked on its way wide in any case.

There was massive let-off for the Blues in the 13th minute when Greaves’s ball back towards Christian Walton was read by Brooks. The winger looked to cut across to Bamford but Walton got enough on it to divert it away from the former Leeds man but only as far as O’Hare, but the ex-Coventry man’s shot was blocked on the line by Town skipper Dara O’Shea. The grateful Greaves cleared.

On 19, there was another big scare for Town. A low Femi Seriki cross from the right was inadvertently deflected towards the far corner by Azor Matusiwa, Walton diving to his right to palm it away from goal. The loose ball ran out to Hamer, whose powerful strike aimed at the roof of the net was batted away by the Town keeper.

Proceedings were held up as it approached the 10-minute mark after Cedric Kipre and Seriki collided with the Town central defender receiving treatment at length before continuing.

The game was surprisingly open as it approached the half-hour mark with the Blades showing more threat than the Blues until some sharp passing on the left left to Clarke beating his man and crossing low towards Szmodics, whose shot was blocked behind for a corner.

In the 36th minute, a long throw from the left bounced nicely for Mee, who looped an overhead kick over.

A minute later and the Blades twice had keeper Michael Cooper to thank for keeping the scores level. Clarke was played in on the left and crossed low to Hirst, who turned the ball goalwards only for Cooper to save. The ball ran out to Szmodics on the right and the Irish international’s powerful shot was batted away from goal.

And following the result Town corner, the home side went in front. After the ball had been cleared, Clarke’s header fell to Hamer, who hooked a pass down the middle for O’Hare to chase. The one-time Coventry man slotted past the advancing Walton and into the net to send the home fans into raptures.

O’Hare collided with the advancing Walton, the Blues keeper’s knee appearing to catch O’Hare in the former England U20 international in the head. While O’Hare was being simultaneously congratulated and treated by his teammates, some remonstrated with Walton with the keeper protesting his innocence. Referee Tom Nield subsequently booked the keeper and, having been bandaged up, O’Hare was able to continue.

The momentum was firmly with the Blades in the final minutes of the half and four minutes into time added on, they added to their lead.

Walton saved Bamford’s initial shot from the left of the area, Seriki beating Greaves to the loose ball and hitting another effort which the Town keeper again batted away. This time it fell to Brooks just outside the box from where he struck a low shot which Walton looked set to save until it struck Matusiwa and deflected into the corner of the net.

While the home fans celebrated, Furlong was booked for a foul in the build-up to the goal.

It had been a tetchy half in keeping with Town-Sheffield United games of the late nineties and following the whistle it threatened to boil over.

Hirst had gone to ground and Sydie Peck ruffled his hair, the midfielder then running away towards the tunnel with angry Blues players in his wake with Szmodics looking particularly incensed.

The Irish international was held back by keeper-coach Rene Gilmartin, while Bamford sought to involve himself in the incident and was dragged back by Furlong.

Eventually, with the benches also having exchanged words, everyone made their way off the pitch.

Town will have left the field wonder how they found themselves 2-0 behind. Having begun the game on the front foot, they had had two very good chances to go in front.

The Blades came into it more and spurned perhaps an even better chance before the Blues’ double opportunity with Cooper making two very good stops.

Town then conceded a Sunday morning counter-attack from their own corner and then failed to properly defend the half’s final opportunity to give themselves a mountain to climb in the second half.

Three minutes after the restart, with the game still to settle, Kipre was booked for knocking O’Hare over as they challenged for a bouncing ball on the Blades’ right. From the free-kick, Mee flicked a header beyond the far post when he will feel he should have scored.

On 54, Furlong was caught in the head by Hamer as he went to ground following a challenge, referee Nield calling on the Town physio, who then seemed to be stopped from running on by the fourth official.

Town created their first opening of the half soon after, but the ball wouldn’t fall for Szmodics.

The forward, who was making his first Championship start since returning from injury, was among those to make way on 56 along with Kipre and Hirst as the Blues made their first changes. Davis came on at left-back, Azon as the number nine and Burns wide on the right.

Within three minutes of the substitutions, Town worked an opportunity from which they won their first penalty since Middlesbrough away in October.

After Burns had burst into the right of the area and cut back to Taylor, the Ireland international’s on-target strike was blocked by McGuinness’s arm. Referee Nield took his time before pointing to the spot.

Clarke took the kick and hit it low and hard to Cooper’s right, the ball striking the inside of the post before nestling in the side-netting on the opposite side of the goal, the forward’s 11th goal of the season, his fourth goal in his last three starts.

The Blades made their first change on 63, Arblaster replacing Davies with the impetus back with the Blues.

A minute later, Clarke played in Davis in space on the left but the full-back hit across his shot and only the Town fans behind the goal were troubled.

Town’s fightback was dealt a mortal blow in the 66th minute when the home side restored their two-goal advantage. O’Shea and Bamford challenged for a long Cooper kick down the middle, Hamer lofted it back over the top for Bamford to chase and the one-time England striker beat Walton with the Blues’ backline expecting an offside flag which never came but with replays suggesting it should.

The Blues switched Taylor and Walle Egeli for Cajuste and new signing Mehmedi for the final 18 minutes, the former Bristol City man going into the number 10 role. A minute later, the Blades swapped Hamer for Tom Cannon.

As the game moved towards its final 15 minutes, Bamford was booked for kicking an advertising hoarding having been penalised for fouling O’Shea. Greaves joined him soon after for blocking off Cannon.

Brooks hit a shot from the right of the area wide and out for a throw in the 77th minute, the second time the winger had done so during the half.

The Blades were reduced to 10 men in the 84th minute when Bamford was shown his second yellow card of the afternoon. The striker was played in on goal and went to ground as he ran past Walton’s outstretched leg, the keeper appearing to have pulled out before Bamford reached him.

The home side swapped Brooks for Hoever the final three scheduled minutes plus a further seven added on.

A minute into the additional time, following a long throw on the right, Clarke’s shot looped up off a defender towards Burns who won the ball in the air with Sam McCallum but referee Nield felt unfairly, much to the Welshman’s annoyance.

In the 96th minute, with Town committing plenty of men forward, Hoever was fed in on the left of the area and hit an effort which Walton palmed away for a corner to his right.

Seconds before the end, Mehmedi made a sharp run into space on the right of the box to win a corner which the home side were able to defend.

Having given themselves a tough task in the second half, the Blues looked to have given themselves more than a glimmer of getting back into the game with the subs once again having an immediate effect and Clarke bagging his 11th goal of the season.

However, the third goal, which looked well offside, all but ended any hope of a comeback with the Blues huffing and puffing but no more in the latter stages even after Bamford’s dismissal, which led to the home fans booing off referee Nield.

While Town, who end a run of seven games without a defeat in all competitions, will look back ruefully at their missed early opportunities, it was a far from fluent display with the game largely a combative affair which suited the home side more. Having conceded so few goals recently, the Blues won’t be happy with the manner of the first two with the third perhaps owing more to an absent linesman’s flag.

Town are in home action for the only time in a month next Saturday when they host Preston, who were beaten 4-0 by a Middlesbrough side now five points ahead of the Blues, although having played a game more than Town, who remain third but now ahead of Hull City in fourth on goal difference.

Sheffield United: Cooper, McCallum, Hamer (Cannon 73), O’Hare, Brooks (Hoever 87), Mee, T Davies (Arblaster 63), McGuinness, Seriki, Peck, Bamford. Unused: A Davies, Burrows, Campbell, Chong, Matos, Sasnauskas.

Town: Walton, Furlong, O’Shea (c), Kipre (Davis 56), Greaves, Matusiwa, Taylor (Cajuste 71), Walle Egeli (Mehmeti 71), Szmodics (Burns 57), J Clarke, Hirst (Azon 57). Unused: Palmer, Baggott, Johnson, McAteer. Referee: Tom Nield (West Yorkshire). Attorney: Att: 28,638.

Photo: Matchday Images