Sheffield United 1-2 Bristol City: Robins off to a flyer
- adamhigginsuk
- Aug 9, 2014
- 6 min read
Unstoppable: Wade Elliott smashes home the winning goal on his debut for the Robins - his fourth goal in his last eight league appearances (Picture from JMPUK)
BRISTOL City made a winning start to the new League One season with victory over fellow promotion favourites Sheffield United.
Aaron Wilbraham headed home from 10 yards after Mark Little's marauding run to give the Robins a 20th-minute lead before new United skipper Michael Higdon guided in a Ben Davies free-kick to level matters.
A thunderous finish by another debutant Wade Elliott re-established City's lead in the second half from a Wilbraham flick-on.
Jamie Murphy was denied by the combination of keeper Frank Fielding and the post as United rallied late on, but Steve Cotterill's side held out for three points on the opening weekend.
The new-look Robins, who finished 12th last term, will be confident of a sustained promotion push in their second successive season in the third tier following their first win at Bramall Lane since November 1957.
United narrowly missed out on a play-off place last term after beginning with just one victory in the first 14 games.
But despite the setback of a first defeat since March, the Blades look well-equipped to end their four-year stay in League One as Nigel Clough embarks on his first full season in charge.
? DID YOU KNOW ?
Bristol City have won at Sheffield United for the first time in 19 attempts.
The Robins have won on the opening day of the season for the first time since 2008/09.
Sheffield United have lost for just the second time on the opening weekend in their last 12 attempts and had won the previous three.
Both sides were installed among the pre-season hopefuls to reach the Championship after ending last season strongly with United losing just two of their final 19 games while City were defeated once in their last 13 matches after a 3-0 reverse away to United in February.
United gave debuts to five summer signings as former Motherwell striker Michael Higdon, a pre-match fitness doubt, was handed the captain's armband with Chris Basham, Ben Davies, Harrison McGahey and Craig Alcock also included.
Six new faces were given their first run-outs for Bristol City in Aaron Wilbraham, Mark Little, Wade Elliott, Luke Ayling, Korey Smith and Luke Freeman but former Brentford defender Karleigh Osbourne was unable to recover from a shin injury in time.
Both sides made a solid but unspectacular start in the early-afternoon South Yorkshire sunshine with the Robins carrying the early attacking impetus.
Their half-hearted penalty shouts after three minutes were ignored when former Yeovil full-back Ayling went down under a slight shove from Basham, latching onto an Aden Flint header back into the box.
SHEFFIELD UNITED'S SUMMER ACTIVITY:
Transfers In: Jamal Campbell-Ryce (from Notts County, free transfer) Marc McNulty (from Livingston, undisclosed fee) Chris Basham (from Blackpool, free transfer) Andy Butler (from Walsall, free transfer) Ben Davies (from Derby County, free transfer)
James Wallace (from Tranmere Rovers, undisclosed fee)
Craig Alcock (from Peterborough, free transfer) Harrison McGahey (from Blackpool, tribunal fee) Michael Higdon (from NEC Nijmegen, undisclosed fee)
Transfers Out: Febian Brandy (to Rotherham United, free transfer)
Darryl Westlake (released)
Matt Hill (to Tranmere Rovers, free transfer)
Shaun Miller (to Coventry City, free transfer)
Sean McGinty (to Rochdale, free transfer)
Elliott Whitehouse (to Notts County, free transfer)
Lyle Taylor (to Scunthorpe United, undisclosed fee)
Harry Maguire (to Hull City, £2.5 million)
Callum McFadzean (to Burton Albion, six-month loan)
George Long (to Oxford United, six-month loan)
With defences on top, early goalmouth action was in desperately short supply although United's high pressing tactics on the City back three culminated in a first meaningful effort at goal.
Frank Fielding kept out Ryan Flynn's distance shot after his initial rushed clearance put the defence in trouble.
Bob Harris then sent another whipped left-footed effort wide of the target as United continued to ask questions of the Robins defence.
The visitors enjoyed plenty of possession without advancing into the final third but went ahead on 20 minutes with the move owing much to the persistence of Little.
The right wing-back drove superbly past two defenders to get to the byline and his inviting cross was headed home by Wilbraham - his first league goal in over two years - with keeper Mark Howard unable to claw the ball out.
Delighted: Former Norwich and Crystal Palace striker Aaron Wilbraham celebrates the opening goal for Bristol City - his first in the league since March 2012 (Picture from JMPUK)
City looked to have settled into their stride but there was a moment of panic when Fielding's punch from a Harris centre landed at the feet of Stefan Scougall although his low shot was cleared to safety by Greg Cunningham.
United, who ended last term unbeaten in eight games, were almost level when Higdon's six-yard header from a Davies cross was tipped over by the athletic Fielding.
Jamie Murphy's angled shot was turned away by Flint at the back post after Flynn's low centre was missed by Scougall as the Blades upped the ante with the Robins on the back foot.
And their step-up in tempo was rewarded with an equaliser on 32 minutes from a set-piece as Davies's free-kick from the right was powered in from six yards by Higdon.
Making his mark: Higdon, who scored 27 goals for Motherwell two seasons ago to win the PFA Scotland Player of the Year award, heads home Sheffield United's equaliser (Picture from JMPUK)
With City rattled, United seriously threatened a second goal as Scougall sent a header inches over the crossbar from Flynn's recycled centre and Basham's volley flew past the post from the edge of the box.
The Blades thought they were dealt a blow before the break when Harris was caught in the face by a stray elbow from Little and required lengthy treatment but played on despite the fact Neill Collins was waiting to come on.
A quiet opening to the second period was brought to life when Sam Baldock - League One's top scorer with 24 goals last term - tested Howard with a piledriver from a tight angle and Freeman drew a routine stop with a low effort.
The competitive edge increased a notch with three yellow cards brandished in the space of five minutes as Murphy, Little and Smith had their names taken.
A ricochet almost favoured the Robins when Alcock's clearance cannoned off Baldock and travelled narrowly past the post.
Former Bristol City winger Jamal Campbell-Ryce entered the fray for the Blades in place of Flynn after the hour mark in the first change of the day.
BRISTOL CITY'S SUMMER ACTIVITY:
Transfers In: Wade Elliott (from Birmingham, free transfer)
Mark Little (from Peterborough, free transfer)
Luke Freeman (from Stevenage, undisclosed fee)
Korey Smith (from Oldham Athletic, undisclosed fee)
Aaron Wilbraham (from Crystal Palace, free transfer)
Luke Ayling (from Yeovil Town, free transfer)
Transfers Out: Louis Carey (released)
Liam Fontaine (released)
Stephen Pearson (released)
Marvin Elliott (released)
Liam Kelly (to Oldham Athletic, undisclosed fee)
Brendan Moloney (to Yeovil Town, free transfer)
Elliot Parish (to Blackpool, free transfer)
As the contest became stretched, both sides tried to seize the initiative yet struggled to fashion any openings.
The game needed a goal to liven up proceedings and it arrived on cue as the Robins snatched the lead 18 minutes from time.
McGahey's long diagonal pass was flicked on by Wilbraham into the path of Elliott - and the former Birmingham midfielder, who scored a Championship play-off final winner against United for Burnley in 2009, cracked home an unstoppable effort on the bounce.
The Robins almost increased their lead when Freeman drifted away from the United defence and fired inches wide of the post from 20 yards.
It was the ex-Stevenage midfielder's final contribution before making way for Marlon Pack while former Livingston striker Marc McNulty replaced Scougall to inject some much-needed extra firepower into the United attack.
United began to probe in search of the leveller by committing more bodies forward and there were huge appeals for a spotkick when makeshift right-back Davies went over in the box.
But referee Paul Tierney instantly brandished a booking for diving - with television replays confirming the decision was spot on.
? DID YOU KNOW ?
Sheffield United had won five of the previous six meetings with Bristol City and completed the league double over the Robins last season.
It was the Blades' first home league defeat since 22 March when they lost 2-0 to eventual champions Wolves.
The visitors survived an almighty escape when Campbell-Ryce's shot deflected through off the boot of Ayling to Murphy.
Fielding got a hand to the former Motherwell forward's effort, which bounced off the post before Flint cleared to safety ahead of the onrushing United forwards.
Basham then glanced a header wide of the far post from a Davies free-kick as United piled on the pressure.
Clough sent on former Everton academy product Jose Baxter in place of Basham in the closing stages as their quest became urgent.
But the Blades, who were condemned to an opening day defeat for the first time since 2008, could not salvage a point during five stoppage-time minutes as the Robins held out for a morale-boosting victory to kick start their season.
Saturday 9th August 2014 SkyBet League One Bramall Lane (Sheffield, South Yorkshire)
Sheffield United 1-2 Bristol City KO 12:15pm Live on Sky Sports 1/HD1 (HT 0-0)
Higdon 32 Wilbraham 20 Elliott 72
Sheffield United (4-3-3):
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