BOURNEMOUTH SHEFF UTD IT’S BILLY WHIZZ Late strike from ‘Mr Sheffield United’ leaves Cherries bruised
CHRIS WILDER saluted ‘Mr Sheffield United’ Billy Sharp after the veteran climbed off the bench to earn his hometown club their first Premier League point in 12 years.
Sharp, 33, grabbed a dramatic last-gasp equaliser to rescue Wilder’s top- f light new-boys from what would have been an undeserved defeat.
The Sheffield-born striker had only been on the pitch six minutes when he pounced from close range to cancel out Chris Mepham’s maiden Bournemouth goal.
An emotional Wilder, who screamed himself hoarse on the touchline, said: “I am delighted for Billy. He was always going to come on when you’re chasing the game. We had nothing to lose so that’s not really tactical excellence.
“You are thinking, who do you want floating about in that area? It’s Mr Sheffield United. Billy is Billy, a goalscorer around the six-yard box. He does not have to prove anything to me and we have all got hurdles and obstacles to get over.
“We just want to do well as a group. They are a great group and are fantastic in their approach – they don’t need to prove anything.
“We are brand new to the division and cannot compete with the big boys, we know that, but we have tried to do it our way, on and off the pitch. Billy will keep scoring and be a part of that because this is where he wants to be. We deserved something from the game. I thought we were bold in our approach second half.”
Wilder surprisingly left Sharp – who has more league goals than any other striker in England since the turn of the century – and £ 20million record signing Ollie Mcburnie on the bench.
Bournemouth handed a debut to goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale against his former ■ Bournemouth have lost just one of their 12 Premier League home games against promoted sides (W7, D4).
■ Sheffield United are winless in their last club and the Premier League rookie was kept busier than Blades counterpart Dean Henderson in the first half.
Ramsdale came to Cherries’ rescue inside the first minute after a mistake by Mepham allowed David Mcgoldrick to race clean through.
Mcgoldrick got his shot away only for Ramsdale to fling himself to his left and make a confidence-boosting save.
Bournemouth lacked their usual spark and also struggled to deal with United’s combative approach.
United were playing their first Premier League games since 2007 but the carnival atmosphere in the away end was silenced when Bournemouth took the lead against the run of play in the 62nd minute. Ryan Fraser floated in 11 Premier League away matches (D2, L9). ■ Bournemouth have won only one of their five opening day games in the Premier League (D1, L3). a free-kick which was helped goalwards alwards by Nathan Ake and, when hen Henderson could only parry arry Callum Wilson’s shot, Mepham epham was on hand to drill home me from point-blank range.
Wilder reacted by throwing on n Mcburnie, Sharp and Luke Freeman eeman as the Blades went for r all- out attack and was rewarded warded when Sharp popped up p with the equaliser two minutes inutes from time.
A clever free- kick gave George eorge Baldock the space to cross oss low into the area and when hen Mcburnie’s scuffed shot fell l at the feet of Sharp inside the e six- yard box there was only nly ever one outcome.
Cherries boss Eddie Howe said: id: “We didn’t play at our best, st, we are well aware of that. at. We had the lead, but couldn’t uldn’t get over the line.”