Match ends, Sheffield United 0, Blackpool 1.
Blackpool earned their third consecutive victory to move into the top six in the Championship, with a 1-0 win away at Sheffield United.
Keshi Anderson broke the deadlock for Blackpool after 76 minutes, following a cagey first half with little to separate the sides.
Iliman Ndiaye's header found the net for the Blades in the first half, but his goal was ruled offside. Morgan Gibson-White then had an effort from close range saved, while Lys Mousset hit the crossbar.
But it was Anderson who secured the three points for the visitors, with his second goal in two matches.
Sheffield United were unbeaten in 10 league matches against Blackpool coming into this fixture, with Blackpool having only won twice at Bramall Lane in the last 41 years.
Yet Blackpool came into the tie on an impressive run that had seen them win five of their past seven matches.
It was the visitors who started brightest, with Jerry Yates played through on goal early on but he was flagged offside.
Ndiaye appeared to have then found the opening goal for United after 18 minutes with a header, but his effort was also cancelled out by the assistant referee's flag.
He almost set up Mousset by squaring the ball to him in the box, but his effort was saved by Blackpool keeper Daniel Grimshaw, in a first half that had few major talking points.
Still, it was Sheffield United who seemed more likely to score when Gibson-White had a shot saved by Grimshaw before Mousset quickly hit the bar with a left-footed strike after 50 minutes.
Despite being against the run of play, when the ball then broke to Anderson with 14 minutes to go he curled it past Robin Olsen into the top-left corner from 15 yards out, to net another victory for Blackpool.
Blackpool manager Neil Critchley told BBC Radio Lancashire:
"I honestly thought this was our toughest game this season. The way they play, the positions they take up on the pitch, how they control the game gives you real problems.
"We've rolled our luck a little bit at times. Goalkeeper made a magnificent save, they hit the crossbar, they missed a couple of chances in the first half. It's that fine line in this division and we scored a magnificent goal to win the game.
"I have to say that we were quite comfortable after that."
Sheffield United midfielder Slavisa Jokanovic told BBC Radio Sheffield:
"We played very well for 73 minutes, created a lot of chances, we weren't clinical enough. After that we made one big mistake, where the ball is flying in our side, we are still squeezed up and gave them the opportunity to catch us.
"The negative part of the game is definitely after this goal. We didn't show enough reaction and we didn't create and started to be confused and scared. We lost the game then.
"It's the story that's repeated a lot of times for us. What sensation I have from my position and what happened on the field is simple, it was an unnecessary mistake."
Line-ups
Sheff Utd
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 1Olsen
- 2Baldock
- 12Egan
- 22DaviesBooked at 79minsSubstituted forat 90'minutes
- 3Stevens
- 27Gibbs-White
- 16NorwoodBooked at 89mins
- 4FleckSubstituted forMcBurnieat 81'minutes
- 23OsbornSubstituted forMcGoldrickat 63'minutes
- 29Ndiaye
- 11MoussetSubstituted forSharpat 74'minutes
Substitutes
- 6Basham
- 9McBurnie
- 10Sharp
- 17McGoldrick
- 18Foderingham
- 24Hourihane
- 33Norrington-Davies
Blackpool
Formation 4-4-2
- 32Grimshaw
- 4Lawrence-Gabriel
- 21Ekpiteta
- 26Keogh
- 3Husband
- 11BowlerBooked at 62minsSubstituted forMitchellat 63'minutes
- 8Wintle
- 12Dougall
- 10AndersonSubstituted forGarbuttat 87'minutes
- 9YatesSubstituted forCareyat 63'minutes
- 14Madine
Substitutes
- 2Connolly
- 7Dale
- 13Moore
- 15Mitchell
- 16Carey
- 29Garbutt
- 35Sterling
- Referee:
- Tony Harrington
- Attendance:
- 28,304
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home58%
- Away42%
- Shots
- Home13
- Away5
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away2
- Corners
- Home4
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home15
- Away8
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Sheffield United 0, Blackpool 1.
Post update
Foul by Enda Stevens (Sheffield United).
Post update
Demetri Mitchell (Blackpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Attempt blocked. David McGoldrick (Sheffield United) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Billy Sharp.
Post update
David McGoldrick (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Kenneth Dougall (Blackpool).
Post update
Dangerous play by Morgan Gibbs-White (Sheffield United).
Post update
Demetri Mitchell (Blackpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Ben Davies went off injured after Sheffield United had used all subs.
Booking
Oliver Norwood (Sheffield United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Oliver Norwood (Sheffield United).
Post update
Demetri Mitchell (Blackpool) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by George Baldock (Sheffield United).
Post update
Luke Garbutt (Blackpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Blackpool. Luke Garbutt replaces Keshi Anderson.
Post update
Offside, Sheffield United. Morgan Gibbs-White tries a through ball, but Billy Sharp is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, Sheffield United. Oliver McBurnie replaces John Fleck.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Gary Madine (Blackpool) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Keshi Anderson.
Booking
Ben Davies (Sheffield United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Comments
Join the conversation
Can't defend
Can't score
In games we should
Well done to the tangerines
Took there chance
Looks like a another season in championship for us unless Slav gets us sorted
Can't wait UTMP.