SHARP BLADES PUT ROYALS TO THE SWORD
SHEFFIELD United continued their good run of form with first-half goals from Paul Coutts and Billy Sharp securing victory over Reading – although a late Roy Beerens strike set up a nervous final few minutes.
The three points consolidated the Baldes’ place in the play-off positions, and, despite giving their visitors a route back into the match, manager Chris Wilder was delighted with the resolve his side showed in the final minutes.
“We showed both sides of our game today, which is really pleasing,” he said. “We showed that late on and I told our players not to be embarrassed about conceding because teams change their shape and throw everything at you when they get desperate.
“We came up against a team that were a penalty kick away from the Premier League last season, so we know matches like these are going to be tough and it’s going to be tough once again when we go down there later in the season.”
The home side were on the front foot from the first kick of a ball, opening the scoring inside 20 minutes when the returning Coutts curled home into the top corner from the edge of the box after some good work from striker Leon Clarke.
Jaap Stam’s side couldn’t get a foothold in the match and fell further behind shortly before the break when Sharp was left unmarked in the six-yard box to tap home a pass which evaded the Reading defence from the home side’s star man Mark Duffy.
The best Reading could muster before the break was a long-range effort from Beerens which trickled just wide, but United goalkeeper Jamal Blackman was untroubled throughout the match, leaving Stam frustrated.
“It was disappointing, that is my feeling,” said the Reading manager. “We didn’t do what we spoke about in the first half. We were facing a good team, a team in form, and if you don’t do anything about that then they’ll make it difficult for you.
“We weren’t taking the initiative on the ball, especially in the first half. You make it difficult for yourselves when you’re 2-0 down.
“They deserved to win. If they keep playing like they are at the moment then there’s a very good chance they will be able to stay where they are.”
The second half produced few chances, but the Blades missed a rare opportunity to wrap the game up at 2-0 when Sharp headed Duffy’s cross straight at Vito Mannone, before Jack O’Connell’s follow up was blocked brilliantly by the Reading defence.
Their profligacy proved costly with five minutes to go when Mo Barrow’s mis-hit effort found its way to Beerens, the striker tapping home from six yards to set up a tense finale.
With Reading throwing everyone forward, Clarke had a great chance to seal the game, breaking away up the field on his own, but Mannone stood tall to deny Wilder’s side a third.
Despite an onslaught of late pressure during five minutes of stoppage time, Reading never managed to test Blackman, meaning Sheffield United march on – but Wilder still isn’t getting carried away.
“We can only keep doing what we’re doing,” he said. “There’s a long way to go and you’ll come up against many top teams along the way.”