MATCH REPORT:: Sheffield United 1, Peterborough United 0: Posh undone by Matty Done

Ultimately Posh were undone by Matty Done whose 13th-minute close range strike still separated the teams at the final whistle.

It was a reward for a fast start by the home side, although Posh enjoyed enough possession for the rest of the game to have deserved at least a share of the spoils.

The Blades started the game like a team seeking a fourth win on the spin. They play with wing-backs and Kieran Freeman on the right side enjoyed the freedom of Bramall Lane in the opening 20 minutes.

One Freeman cross was met by Done only for Posh ‘keeper Luke McGee to make a stunning save, one good enough to draw a congratulatory pat on the back from the striker.

But Done had his revenge in the 13th minute when tapping home from close range following another Freeman delivery. Billy Sharp (twice), Freeman and Done also had pot shots at the Posh goal in a dominant spell for the home side.

But when Posh realised there was space aplenty in midfield against a team playing three centre-backs against one striker, they started to impress and push the Blades back.

Posh, who restored Paul Taylor to the starting line-up in place of Gwion Edwards, pieced together many intricate moves, but couldn’t quite get close enough to threaten Simon Moore’s goal.

Apart from one occasion 10 minutes before the break when Leo Da Silva Lopes played Taylor in on goal. Frustratingly he failed to control a simple ball before recovering possession and firing in a decent left-foot shot that was well saved.

Taylor, Forrester and Da Silva Lopes forced Moore into more routine stops from distance before George Moncur swept round the left-side of the home defence only to fail to get the ball to the well-positioned Nichols.

The dominance Posh enjoyed in the latter part of the half forced home manager Chris Wilder to change formation as 3-5-2 became 4-4-2 with a plan to stop Posh enjoying so much possession.

The effect was immediate as Scougall forced McGee into a fine save at his near post before blasting just as good a chance over the bar.

That prompted Posh manager Grant McCann to alter his own plans with a triple substitution in the 59th-minute, one straight from Barry Fry’s playbook.

On came 17 year-old striker Dean Moore, plus midfielders Edwards and Callum Chettle and again there was a positive reaction,

Edwards, who certainly pepped the team up, should really have scored when teed up by young Moore, but he was brilliantly denied by the home ‘keeper in the 65th minute.

Posh continued to press, but long shots from Maddison and Forrester sailed wide before the visitors’ effort, good as it was, fizzled out rather tamely.

Posh: Luke McGee, Michael Smith, Jerome Binnom-Williams, Jack Baldwin, Michael Bostwick, Chris Forrester, Leo Da Silva Lopes (sub Callum Chettle, 59 mins), Paul Taylor (sub Gwion Edwards, 59 mins), George Moncur, Marcus Maddison, Tom Nichols (sub Deon Moore, 59 mins). Unused substitutes: Mark Tyler, Ryan Tafazolli, Hayden White,Nathan Oduwa.

Sheffield United: Simom Moore, Jack O’Connell, Jake Wright, Kieron Freeman, Ethan Banks-Landell, Chris Basham, Daniel Lafferty (sub Stefan Scougall, 46 mins), Paul Coutts, Mark Duffy (sub John Fleck, 78 mins), Billy Sharp (sub Caolan Lavery, 84 mins), Matty Done, Unused substitutes: Aaron Ramsdale, Chris Hussey, James Wilson, Harry Chapman.

Goals: Sheffield United - Done (13 mins).

Cautions: Posh - Moncur (foul), Smith (dissent).

Sheffield United - Sharp (foul), Basham (foul), Coutts (foul), Ebanks-Landell (time-wasting).

Referee: Neil Swarbrick 6

Attendance: 19,555 (988 Posh).