FLIPPING HECK
Blades boss fumes as United denied ‘blatant’ late penalty
PAUL HECKINGBOTTOM claimed referee Darren Whitestone denied his side a “blatant” penalty after Sheffield United were held to a frustrating draw against high-flying Bournemouth.
In the 85th minute, Morgan Gibbs-White (right) hit the deck under a challenge from Nat Phillips inside the area but Whitestone was unmoved.
Blades boss Heckingbottom said: “That’s as blatant as they come.
“I have been in and seen him but you come out feeling worse than when you go 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 to give them the victory they so desperately craved and probably deserved.
With blood dripping from his nose following a collision moments earlier, Uremovic fired over the crossbar and into a frustrated Kop.
It summed up the game for Heckingbottom’s side, who did everything but score as they largely dominated.
It is now just three wins in nine games for the Blades, whose hopes of a top-six finish hang firmly in the balance.
Secondplaced Bournemouth showed impressive resilience to collect a point after their insipid 2-0 loss at West Brom. Cherries boss Scott Parker, who saw Jordan Zemura forced off with a hamstring injury, said: “It’s a good point for us and I thought for large parts we were the better side. They had some very good chances but we asked for a reaction after Wednesday night 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 own crossbar.
In the 29th minute, Oli McBurnie hit a fierce shot, which Kelly did well to deflect over, before United went agonisingly close on the stroke of half-time.
Gibbs-White found McBurnie, whose delightful reverse pass returned the ball to the Wolves loanee and his shot was superbly tipped over by Mark Travers.
Chances grew scarce in the second half but Travers brilliantly came off his line to repel Gibbs-White’s shot.
Heckingbottom said: “It’s two points dropped.”
SHEFF UTD: Foderingham 6, Baldock 6, Uremovic 7, Egan 6, B Davies 6, Stevens 7, Fleck 6 (Osborn 72, 6), Norwood 6, Berge 6 (Hourihane 81), Gibbs-White 6, McBurnie 7. Subs not used: A Davies, Robinson, Ndiaye, Norrington-Davies, Jebbison.
BOURNEMOUTH: Travers 8, Smith 6, Phillips 6, Kelly 6, Zemura 6 (Brady 89), Billing 7, Cook 6, Lerma 6, Christie 6, Solanke 6, Dembele 6 (Anthony 74, 6). Subs not used: Woodman, Mepham, Pearson, Cantwell, Lowe.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Mark Travers. The Cherries goalkeeper made fine saves in both halves.
REFEREE: Dean Whitestone 6.