Flippin’ eck
PAUL HECKINGBOTTOM claimed referee Dean Whitestone denied Sheffield United a “blatant” penalty after they were held to a frustrating draw by high-flying Bournemouth.
In the 85th minute, Morgan Gibbs-White hit the deck under a challenge from Nat Phillips but Whitestone was unmoved.
Blades boss Heckingbottom said: “That’s as blatant as they come. I have been in and seen the ref but you come out feeling worse than when you went in.
“These decisions are not going our way but that one was black and white.”
There was more misery for the Blades in added time when the ball fell kindly to Croatian defender Filip Uremovic, unmarked 10 yards from goal.
He simply had to hit the target but, with blood dripping from his nose following a collision moments earlier, Uremovic fired over the crossbar.
It is now just three wins in nine games for the Blades, whose hopes of a top-six finish hang in the balance. Second-placed Bournemouth showed impressive resilience to collect a point after their insipid 2-0 loss at West Brom on Wednesday.
Boss Scott Parker (inset), who saw Jordan Zemura forced off with a hamstring injury, said: “It’s a good point and I thought for large parts we were the better side. “They had some very good chances but we asked for a reaction and defensively we were very solid. Their penalty claim looked touch and go so it looked like we maybe got away with one.”
Midway through the first half, good fortune saved Bournemouth when captain Lloyd Kelly attempted to clear Oliver Norwood’s corner only to slice the ball against his bar.
In the 29th minute, Oli McBurnie hit a fierce right-foot shot which Kelly did well to deflect over before United went agonisingly close on the stroke of half-time.
Gibbs-White picked out McBurnie, whose delightful reverse pass found the Wolves loanee and his shot was superbly tipped over by Mark Travers.
In the second half Travers did brilliantly to come out and repel a Gibbs-White shot.
Heckingbottom added: “We’re frustrated because we think it’s two points dropped.
“But there will be more ups and downs and I think the race for the play-offs is going to go down to the wire.”