This weekend, Sheffield United hosted promotion rivals Scunthorpe United in perhaps the biggest League One fixture of the season.
Chris Wilder surprisingly made five changes to his side in Tuesday’s Bristol Rovers game by resting key players Mark Duffy, Billy Sharp and Kieron Freeman to ensure the core of his Sheffield United team were recharged for the huge fixture at Bramall Lane. The Blades named a strong side for Scunthorpe and saw the return of January signing James Hanson in the starting eleven.
The 27,980 in attendance at S2 recognised the importance of the fixture, as did many Blades on Twitter:
6 years for Sheffield United to be in the 3rd tier of English football is criminal.
Today can go a long way to putting this right!#sufc
— James ⚔️ 🔴⚪️⚫️ ⚔️ (@ja_healey) February 18, 2017
Next two matches for the blades will probably determine season: one win may get promotion, two wins will get promotion: UTB! #sufc
— Mark Labbett (@MarkLabbett) February 18, 2017
Nothing won or lost today, but would be a real statement of intent from the winners. #twitterblades #SUFC
— Tyrone James (@tyronej1984) February 18, 2017
The first half saw the Sheffield United dominate the away side but the South Yorkshire club couldn’t find a break through. Scunthorpe were yet to have a shot on target, and the Blades looked to be completely in-control of the vital clash:
Best 45 minutes I've seen from a United side without scoring for many a year 👏🏻 #sufc
— Nigel Stent (@Stentysheffield) February 18, 2017
O-0 despite excellent, relentless 1st half from Sheff Utd. Only lacking a finish. Scunthorpe have defended excellently too. Had to.
— Alan Biggs (@AlanBiggs1) February 18, 2017
Quite simply the best performance in the first half I've ever seen from a Blades team. 👍
— Kevin Gage 🔴⚪️⚔️ (@gageykev) February 18, 2017
If today's game was a boxing match ref would have stopped it during the first half. Finest football for a long long time #twitterblades
— Barnstoneworth (@oldsufctweets) February 18, 2017
However, just two minutes into the second-half, Paddy Madden put the Iron into the lead against the run of play but, before the home supporters had the chance to sulk, captain Billy Sharp equalised in the 49th-minute to score his 21st goal of the season.
GOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLL: BILLY SHARP!!!!!!! INSTANT REPLY!!! 1-1 #sufc #twitterblades
— Blades Mad (@Blades_Mad) February 18, 2017
Paddy Madden nicks Scunthorpe ahead. How often have you seen that script in a one-sided game? Test of Blades mettle. & they pass it! Sharp!
— Alan Biggs (@AlanBiggs1) February 18, 2017
📸 @billysharp10 scores the Blades equaliser #twitterblades pic.twitter.com/X2t7Hoc8iW
— Sheffield United (@SheffieldUnited) February 18, 2017
Most goals in the top four tiers…
Sharp – 21
Akinde – 20
Gayle – 20
Bogle – 19
Abraham – 19
Wood – 19Not bad for a fat lad 😜#SUFC pic.twitter.com/CE8T5suVF0
— Ladbrokes (@Ladbrokes) February 18, 2017
Scunthorpe were physical throughout the 90 minutes but the aggressiveness was punished when Harry Toffolo was showed a red card in the second-half.
Scunny down to 10. Toffolo off. They have been putting in some naughty tackles today. No surprise the ref calls red eventually. 1-1 #sufc
— Richard Hercock (@RHercockYPSport) February 18, 2017
Both sides battled hard and both came close to scoring a late winner. The Blades survived a late scare from the Iron before Sheffield United themselves saw an effort hit the post in the last few minutes. The match ended as a 1-1 draw and the distance between the clubs remains the same. Bolton also drew, 2-2, with play-off rivals Bradford City, meaning the promotion chase in League One largely stayed the same prior to 3pm.
Sheffield United fans were disappointed to drop the two points but agreed that Scunthorpe, who had just one shot on target, were not worth worrying about:
Dominated match and another day would have scored 3 or 4. #sufc
— Chris (@CAllan8_) February 18, 2017
https://twitter.com/bethh123x/status/832996756870795265
If Scunthorpe is our closest competition then you might as well shine the trophy up for us now. Bloody awful! #sufc #twitterblades
— Haachy!⚔️ 🇺🇦 (@Haachy1) February 18, 2017
Draw is better than a loss. Last 5 years we'd lie down and get pasted, I'm happy
— Jamie (@jamieg0ugh) February 18, 2017
https://twitter.com/8parker_/status/833043188445241344
That performance was the best I've seen in a long time. Play like that for the rest of the season and it's goodbye league one
— Danny Griffiths (@DannyG92) February 18, 2017
Only one team wanted that today! Very unfortunate not to grab the win. Dominated. Onto next week! 🔴⚪⚫⚔ #sufc #twitterblades
— Blades Mad (@Blades_Mad) February 18, 2017
Telling you now, Scunthorpe will not finish top 2.
— Bolland (@Bollandsufc_) February 18, 2017
Scunny celebrating at end like they'd won league. Not sure why. Outplayed and outclassed by us. Ours to lose. #twitterblades #SUFC
— Tyrone James (@tyronej1984) February 18, 2017
Chris Wilder on the pitch shaking every player's hand shows you how good that performance really was. Full on. & how well Scunthorpe coped.
— Alan Biggs (@AlanBiggs1) February 18, 2017
All Twitter users came together to praise the fantastic support at Bramall Lane with nearly 28,000 watching a third-tier fixture, the highest attendance in League One for the last three seasons:
That Kop though #sufc #twitterblades pic.twitter.com/61nOn4se4e
— Matt (@Cobby1889) February 18, 2017
The lane was absolutely rocking. Good point, keeps us top of the league. next games a big one. ⚔️⚔️⚔️@billysharp10 shock 👏🏻 pic.twitter.com/frsyXW8yZF
— Aaron (@AaronRamsdale98) February 18, 2017
That atmosphere today was top notch #twitterblades it's one of the reasons I fell in love with the club 24yrs ago 😍😍 #Demblades
— 𝕯𝖊𝖒 𝕭𝖑𝖆𝖉𝖊𝖘 𝖎𝖓𝖓𝖎𝖙 (@CW_is_a_Legend) February 19, 2017
Didn't make dominance count but attitude, approach superb. Another point in pot, bring on Bolton. Kop looked & sounded glorious. #sufc pic.twitter.com/K6XLdIGDGy
— Kate Burlaga (@kateburlaga) February 18, 2017
Proper ground, proper fans, proper team, proper love, proper song pic.twitter.com/QRm4pKrrA8
— plat blade (@platblade) February 18, 2017
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