Sheffield United vs Barnsley. Sky Bet Championship.
Bramall LaneAttendance28,515.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Sheffield United and Barnsley at Bramall Lane as goals from Sander Berge and Morgan Gibbs-White boosted the Blades' promotion hopes
Saturday 19 March 2022 18:06, UK
Promotion-chasing Sheffield United recorded a 2-0 victory at home to relegation-threatened Barnsley thanks to second-half goals from Sander Berge and Morgan Gibbs-White.
Midfielder Berge grabbed his third goal in four games and Gibbs-White capped what was an impressive display from the Blades in the second period.
Following their midweek draw at Blackpool, Blades boss Paul Heckingbottom made one change to the United line-up, with Conor Hourihane replacing Iliman Ndiaye.
Barnsley, meanwhile, stuck with the same line-up that defeated Bristol City 2-0 on Tuesday.
Domingos Quina played a well-timed early through ball in to Barnsley colleague Carlton Morris, but Wes Foderingham did well to come and claim it.
And Foderingham was on hand again to save after Michal Helik headed down a cross to Matty Wolfe in the centre of the box.
Defender Jack Robinson almost opened the scoring for United when he unleashed a powerful left-footed strike from outside the box which narrowly missed to the right.
A free-kick delivery by Oliver Norwood from the left then found Gibbs-White, who headed the ball on target but did not have enough conviction to trouble Brad Collins.
Wolfe had a shot from a difficult angle at the left-hand side of the box which went high and wide to the left, before Ben Osborn fired wide at the other end.
Quina's half-volley from long-range took a huge deflection which resulted in a Barnsley corner, and the visitors were punished for their wasted chances when Berge broke the deadlock in the 54th minute.
Hourihane whipped in a low cross from the left which found Berge at the back post and he slotted the ball home.
Billy Sharp picked up an injury midway through the second half which resulted in Daniel Jebbison replacing him, but the hosts continued to press, with Gibbs-White driving down the left flank and picking out Osborn in the box. His shot from the right went wide.
United continued to cause trouble down the left flank and Gibbs-White forced Collins to tip the ball over his crossbar with a header.
The Blades doubled their lead in the 76th minute when substitute Oli McBurnie played through Gibbs-White, who showed composure to take the ball around Collins and pass it into an open goal.
Morris went close in the final stages as his header went high of the target.
Sheffield United's Paul Heckingbottom: "Half-time was about the mentality and not wasting all the hard work that we've done over the last few months and seizing the opportunity as well as demanding a quicker pace in everything we did. We did that from the first whistle second half. I thought Barnsley stayed with us for the first 10 minutes, but after the goal we took control of the game.
"We work hard at set plays. I expect quality and that's what he (Hourihane) showed. It was a big moment in the game. Of course we want to keep this run going and the clean sheets at home and being difficult to play against, but it takes a lot."
Barnsley's Poya Asbaghi: "We had the game exactly where we wanted it in the first half and for the beginning of the second half up until they got a free-kick which they scored from. The first thing I said before going back out to the second half was that they are quick with their set-pieces. After the goal I was disappointed with our reaction, you are going to suffer but you have to be good at suffering.
"This is normal for this not to be our strength because we're a young team, but we need to improve on this. The first 55 minutes was one of the best away displays I've seen from us this season. "It's about rest and regrouping (during the international break), but also staying active enough for our big game back against Reading."
