Bramall brawlers
After FOUR reds, a 25-player melee ends mad match
BLACKPOOL will appeal striker Shayne Lavery’s sending off after the final whistle — one of four red cards on a madcap afternoon at Bramall Lane.
Oliver Norwood grabbed a point with a 98th minute equaliser after substitute Rhian Brewster saw his late penalty hit the post as nineman Blackpool looked set to hang on to seal a famous come-frombehind win.
Lavery was wrestled to the ground by Sheffield United keeper Wes Foderingham, who also saw red as punches were thrown in a 25-player melee.
Seasiders boss Michael Appleton said: ‘I understand the two sendings-off during the game but the one afterwards, Shayne was wrestled to the ground so we’ll look at it and see if we can get a better outcome than the one the referee has come up with.
Blades boss Paul Heckingbottom said: ‘I just saw them both on the floor. The lads were grappling and their staff didn’t seem to think anything had happened but the referee saw two players on the floor so he thought they were fighting. We’ll have a look at it.
‘I’m not going to sit here and moan about the referee. Should we have won the game? Yes. We’ve created enough chances to have won but we’ve not taken them, that’s why we’ve not won. I’m not going to hide behind the referee.’
The Blades are now without a win in four games, and they surrendered top spot in the Championship after frittering away a two-goal lead that they forged inside the first 25 minutes.
Manchester City loan star James McAtee poked in his first senior goal from close range after running onto Billy Sharp’s cushioned header from Tommy Doyle’s cross. Iliman Ndiaye doubled the lead with a header from five yards after Chris Maxwell diverted Norwood’s low cross from the right into the forward’s path.
The Blackpool goalkeeper was outstanding, with two stunning late saves from substitute Oli McBurnie seemingly having sealed a remarkable turn-around which was sparked by two firsthalf goals from Jerry Yates.
The Blackpool forward halved the deficit with a looping 30th minute header from Kenny Dougall’s cross into the box, before levelling with a side-foot volley from Lavery’s pinpoint centre. The visitors took the lead five minutes after the restart when defender John Egan directed a Charlie Patino pass into the path of Kenny Dougall, who comprehensively beat Foderingham low to the goalkeeper’s right. Marvin Ekpiteta’s second caution with 12 minutes remaining came for bringing down Brewster before Dominic Thompson quickly followed by kicking the ball at Anel Ahmedhodzic after being pushed into the advertising boards by the Sheffield United substitute.
Ahmedhodzic earned his side an 88th minute penalty when he was hauled back in the area by Yates, only for Brewster to plant the ensuing spot kick against the inside of Maxwell’s left-hand post.
Time was running out when Norwood ensured parity with a shot from the edge of the area which found its way in through a sea of bodies. Despite the late equaliser Appleton remained positive: ‘It’s hard to be too disappointed after going down to nine men because we defended with our lives.’