Tuesday 12 May 2015 11:14, UK
Nigel Clough believes the loss of defender John Brayford was "a major factor" in Sheffield United's play-off exit at Swindon.
Clough's side will spend a fifth season in the third tier after a 5-5 draw in the second leg at the County Ground saw them lose 7-6 on aggregate. It was the eighth successive occasion a play-off has ended in heartache for the Blades. Brayford limped away from Bramall Lane on crutches after his side's 2-1 first-leg defeat having sustained a knee injury in the first half and missed the return leg. "Our best player, our big signing and he's on crutches," Clough said. "It's a major factor in us not winning. We are still not sure, it could be six months, it could be longer, we don't know. "We need proper centre-halves in who can do the job properly, especially now we have lost John Brayford for the start of the season." Swindon were 3-0 up inside 18 minutes on Monday night through two Ben Gladwin goals and Michael Smith's effort. An own-goal from Nathan Thompson and Chris Basham's header put the visitors back in the tie only for Smith to grab his second of the night from the penalty spot. Blades striker Steve Davies made things interesting again but Jonathan Obika struck a fifth for Swindon and despite two late goals from Matt Done and Che Adams, Town edged through to face Preston in the Wembley final. "Whatever the result on Thursday night, to lose him was a bigger blow," Clough added. "I'd rather go in with a two-goal deficit with John Brayford in the team. "With him in the team I don't think we'd have conceded five goals. I think we'd have scored five, but I don't think we'd have conceded five."
