Russell feels
IT was always going to be a game caught between a rock and a hard place – two teams of equal billing, equal tenacity and equal ambition to secure a play-off place.
But the talking point was Huddersfield’s Jon Russell heading in what may have been the breakthrough goal on his Championship debut, only for the ref to rule it out for a foul on the keeper by Danny Ward. It was cruel on Ward who certainly got in the way of keeper Wes Foderingham – because he was pulled down by Blades’ defender George Baldock.
Town boss Carlos Corberan was adamant when he said: “Danny says he didn’t make a foul. That one goal could have changed it all. We also had two penalty appeals. VAR would have helped the ref, and we want the right decision. We want fair play.”
On the other hand, the Blades had their chances, the best being a cracking late blast by John Fleck that forced Town keeper Lee Nicholls into making a double save. First tipping it on to a post, then the rebound hitting the keeper’s foot then shoulder to stay out. A minute later, an effort by Oli McBurnie was blocked on the goalline by Ward to keep the Terriers in the game. United boss Paul Heckinbottom
admitted: “It panned out how we thought. Two teams going at it, and no-one taking a backward step. It was an important game against a hard-working and organised team, but we showed mental toughness.
“We have games in hand, and 11 of our last 17 games are at home. It’s in our hands, and we start on Tuesday against Hull.”
Corberan added: “I have to be positive about the game and the result. We dominated for most of the first 50 minutes, then they had 20 minutes in control, before we upped our game again. it was a blow not to have the goal allowed but we battle on for rewards for our performances.”
At least Town chalked up another clean sheet, and notched up their 14th game without defeat, a run that has seen them into play-off contention. For United, their run of four wins in their last five has seen them go just below the play-off positions, with three games in hand on their Yorkshire rivals.
The Terriers’ biggest shout for a penalty came late on when the mercurial Spaniard Pipa went down to a challenge by Jack Robinson, only for on-hand ref James Linington to have no truck with the claim. But on the break, the Blades had their moments, with back-in-form target-man Oli McBurnie in the thick of it. From a good cross by Jayden Bogle, McBurnie used his 6ft 2in height to power goalwards, only for Nichols to hold on.
Then another McBurnie header was put wide as Sheffield menaced again.
A second-half, on-target header by McBurnie was saved by Nicholls, and late on, Fleck forced the Town keeper into that superb save for the side’s to share the spoils.