Sharp shows way to goal

Photo: Alan Howarth

IT'S BEHIND YOU...Athletic forward Billy Mckay and Sheffield United defender Jack O'Connell battle for the ball

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THIS is not a set of players that lays down and submits to its fate and though the end result was another defeat and an all-too familiar blank in front of goal, Athletic showed a fighting spirit at Bramall Lane that should stand them well for more winnable tests to come.

Blades old boy Ryan Flynn was given a warm reception by the majority of the massive 25,821 Boxing Day crowd and he went within a whisker of putting Athletic ahead after only eight minutes as Stephen Robinson's side started smartly and on the front foot.

In the second half, with the visitors a goal adrift, substitute Freddie Ladapo also brought the best out of home goalkeeper Simon Moore with a 25-yard volley that was creeping inside the far post but for a scrambling fingertip effort every bit as good as that which denied Flynn's well-hit drive from a similar distance.

From closer in, Billy Mckay spun but failed to connect properly with a left-foot shot he sliced over on the stroke of half-time.

CHANNEL

But despite all the lung-busting channel runs of recalled Darius Osei, the calming influence of Josh Law in a holding midfield role he once occupied in European competition for Motherwell and the steadying role in a back three of veteran Brian Wilson, Athletic fell short of what was required to take a tangible reward back with them across the snake pass thanks to a real viper in the box.

No other club in Sky Bet League One possesses an out-and-out number nine (albeit one wearing number 10) with as keen a predator's instinct as Billy Sharp.

And he was on target twice here, in the 72nd and 88th minutes, to relieve the frustration for Chris Wilder's hosts and send them within a point of divisional leaders Scunthorpe.

Had Athletic won, they would be outside the bottom-four. As it is, the New Year's Eve clash at Fleetwood and home game with Port Vale two days later now assume huge significance in the battle against relegation.

Start with the intent they managed to here - and somehow find a route to goal to improve the paltry record of 12 scored in 22 matches - and there is every chance of some success in those fixtures.

Robinson took the bull by the horns in naming his starting line-up. Illness saw Ollie Banks only able to feature on the bench - with Ousmane Fane suspended, youth team player Chinedu Uche was in the travelling squad as cover - and Cameron Burgess was dropped in favour of Wilson returning to a back three that featured Charles Dunne on its left side.

Athletic began well, passing the ball confidently and not allowing the wily Mark Duffy to assert too much influence for the hosts.

Osei was lively early on and hit one shot from 25 yards that warmed the palms of Moore, before Flynn, getting the ball back after just failing to thread a teasing ball into the box, let fly and was denied by a terrific fingertip save.

A rare chance presented itself for Sharp, peeling away from Dunne, shortly before the half-hour mark. Whether by luck or judgement, the defender got in the way of the 10-yard header to deflect the ball wide.

THREATENED

A mis-hit Ryan McLaughlin cross threatened to defeat Moore at his near post as Athletic continued to attack while at the other end, former loan defender Danny Lafferty somehow bisected a group of expectant players massed in the box with a threatening header across goal.

Goalkeeper Connor Ripley was called into action to field a Duffy free-kick and a header straight at him from Jack O'Connell and a deflected Lafferty cross caused something of a scramble at his near post.

At the other end Mckay will feel he should have found the target with his shot that came after Law had nodded the ball into a dangerous area.

More of the same would have been Robinson's message at the interval and on its resumption, there was little clear direction to a contest that appeared to be ambling to a stalemate.

Leon Clarke's introduction for Matt Done gave United a target to hit up front, though, creating small gaps that Duffy could seek to exploit.

O'Connell flashed a shot wide of the near post from a short free-kick and Sharp, on the turn, got underneath an effort as he turned menacingly inside the box.

Wilson had to hack clear a Clarke header at goal and just as it seemed Athletic had managed to ride the storm, then came the opening goal.

Duffy it was who provided the ammunition, teasing a ball over the top of Athletic's left-sided defence, but there was plenty to do for Sharp to score. He struck his effort back across goal beautifully, beyond the right arm of Ripley and into the far corner.

Game over? Five minutes after that, Ladapo was minded to prove otherwise and was unfortunate not to see his accurate effort not defeat Moore.

The game became stretched as Athletic tried in vain to level. Ripley saved well from Duffy and could easily have benefited from a more benevolent call from referee Mark Heywood when Leon Clarke clattered into him when trying to reach a cross. Sharp scampered onto the loose ball to rifle home low through the bodies and that, aside from Clarke firing over when he should by rights have made it 3-0, was that.

IN A NUTSHELL: Athletic offered plenty but were undone by a classy striker.