Sharp rebuke for Wrexham as fairy tale ends in acrimony
Sheffield United can do thrilling endings to match anything in Ryan Reynolds’s repertoire – and thanks to Billy Sharp, the drama in their FA Cup fourth-round replay against Wrexham continued after the final whistle.
Sharp, who turned 37 on Sunday, scored the first of two injury-time goals that finally saw off the nonleague visitors with the Hollywood A-list ownership, then launched into a verbal attack on them.
The United striker accused Wrexham of coming to Bramall Lane with a sense of arrogance, of believing they were the favourites to secure a fifth-round home tie against Tottenham. It was a verdict that met with criticism from Phil Parkinson, the visitors’ manager.
“I think they were disrespectful with a few things before the game, thinking they were already through,” Sharp said. “I’m glad we’ve beaten them. They’re doing well in their league, we’re doing well in ours, but I wasn’t happy with a few of their players tonight.
“I wasn’t happy with the way they’ve been as a club before the game, eyeing up Spurs, and they’ve not even beaten us.”
Parkinson replied by claiming that Sharp had shown disrespect of his own towards his players after helping secure the victory.
“I was a bit disappointed with Billy at the end, to be honest,” the Wrexham manager said. “Some of the things he was shouting down the tunnel.
“Well done Bill. I think he’s a fantastic player, but I thought he was disrespectful after the game. I think the way the players and the crowd celebrated was a mark of how tough we made it for them. They were relieved to get through. But my
message to Billy is: ‘You’re better than that, You really are.’”
Sharp’s outburst followed yet another late finish from United; having salvaged a fourth-round replay with a 95th-minute equaliser, they won it with goals in the 94th and 96th minutes.
The hosts, second in the Championship and three divisions above their opponents, did so despite conceding two penalties.
Anel Ahmedhodzic, who had given United the lead with a stylish angled finish into the roof of the net early in the second half, dragged back Paul Mullin right on the edge of the penalty area.
Referee Leigh Doughty ruled the challenge had finished inside the box, and Mullin blasted in his 29th goal of the season to give the National League side hope of an upset.
That hope grew when Mullin was then hacked down by substitute Oliver Norwood; Mullin stepped up again and struck hard for the corner, but goalkeeper Adam Davies flew to his right to make an excellent save.
Then came the late twist. United had seen a Sharp goal ruled out for offside, and had a Norwood penalty appeal rejected as his shot struck Elliot Lee’s arm, before they found
a way to victory and a glamour tie in the next round.
First Sharp burst forward as Max Cleworth failed to intercept a through ball, and rolled a shot into the corner, and then James Mcatee played a pass through for Sander Berge to make it 3-1. But it was Sharp who had the last word after the final whistle.