Archer’s arrows keep Blades in Boro sights
IT ISN’T quite over yet, then. Sheffield United cannot feel entirely confident they are Premier League-bound with Middlesbrough now looming in their rear-view mirror. While the Blades retain a seven-point cushion — and a game in hand — over Michael Carrick’s men either side of the automatic promotion line, this result will certainly keep them honest. After Oli McBurnie had given the Blades the perfect start, Boro fought back to equalise through Chuba Akpom and won a terrific advert for Championship football early in the second half thanks to Cameron Archer’s double. His first was the result of a slide tackle by Oliver Norwood on Hayden Hackney that converted a fizzled-out counter into a live opportunity for Boro. It diverted the ball into the path of Archer, who lashed it home. Archer’s second was a neat, curled finish after Hayden had played him clear, but the Blades were furious a foul on James McAtee in the build-up went unpunished. It led to manager Paul Heckingbottom being sent to the stands. The outcome was frustrating for most inside Bramall Lane because the home side had stormed out of the blocks to lead inside five minutes. When the ball crossed the touchline, Jack Robinson was quickly agitating for a towel to wipe it dry. His long throw was catapulted into a packed penalty box and Boro keeper Zack Steffen was boxed in, allowing McBurnie to rise and guide a well-directed header into the bottom corner. Boro eventually found their poise. Marcus Forss blasted over from a good position before Akpom, the leading scorer in the division, showed him the way on 25 minutes. The goal was well crafted by Forss, who drew two Blades defenders on the right wing and slipped a pass between them to Akpom in the area. A body swerve took him beyond John Egan and the shot was across keeper Wes Foderingham into the far corner for his 17th league goal of the campaign.