League leaders Sheffield United’s unbeaten start to their home campaign ended on Tuesday night as Michael Beale’s QPR side stole the points at Bramall Lane with a 0-1 victory. Chris Willock’s strike early into the second half was enough to seal the points.
Tuesday night’s clash promised to be a hotly contested fixture between two promotion hopefuls who had both come into the match in form.
Paul Heckingbottom’s blades were unbeaten at home, and Beale’s QPR side had been travelling well with victories at Bristol, Millwall and Watford already this season.
The opening proceedings saw a dominant start for Sheffield United, their 5-3-2 structure pinned QPR back effectively, and United held most of the possession whilst looking threatening from several corners. However, their lack of imagination in the final third was costing them as they could only create a few half chances, with Basham, Norwood and Doyle the only strikes of note coming from long range, all of which zipped just over the bar or wide of the post.
The second quarter of the match saw QPR gain more of a foothold, Ilias Chair was particularly lively with a mazy run in the 25th minute resulting in a sharp save from Foderingham down to his near post.
United had the better chances, the clearest of the game falling to Baldock, missing a free header in the six-yard box, and Ndiaye, dragging his shot wide of the post in the 38th and 39th minutes.
Despite the Blades’ first-half domination, they were frustrated going into the second-half goalless. QPR started the second half much better, and the 51st minute of the game was the decisive moment.
Chris Willock, QPR’s star man so far this season, found himself on the right-hand side, and an incisive one-two with Manchester United loanee Ethan Laird saw him find the space to drill a shot to the near post of Wes Foderingham and make it 0-1. Foderingham would have hoped to do better at his near post.
QPR enjoyed more improvements from the first half. Both teams made changes in the 63rd and 66th minutes, with Heckingbottom dropping Ndiaye behind a new strike partnership of Sharp and Brewster whilst Beale sacrificed Tyler Roberts for a centre half in Clarke Salter.
These changes benefitted QPR more as the Blades struggled to create any chances of note following this, with a few sighters from Norwood being their only efforts on goal. Their only breakthrough came in stoppage time when Sander Berge broke into the box, but he was pulled down and suffered an injury. The United faithful appealed desperately for a penalty to no avail.
Heckingbottom expressed his frustrations at the time-wasting tactics and the penalty decision in stoppage time. However, his team did not do enough to create the chances needed for the win.
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Blades: Foderingham, Baldock (Khadra 47), Basham, Berge, McBurnie (Sharp 63), Egan, Norwood, Bogle (McAtee 77), Doyle (Brewster 63), Ndiaye, Norrington-Davies.
Unused: Davies, Arblaster, Gordon.
QPR: Dieng, Dunne, Willock (Dykes 55), Amos (Iroegbunam 77), Chair (Adomah 77), Roberts (Clarke-Salter 66), Field, Dozzell, Paal, Balogun, Laird.
Unused: Dickie, Johansen, Archer.