Sheffield United vs Hull City. Sky Bet Championship.
Bramall LaneAttendance29,271.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Sheffield United and Hull City at Bramall Lane as Daniel Jebbison's first league goal since May 2021 secures narrow 1-0 home win
Friday 20 January 2023 23:47, UK
Daniel Jebbison's first league goal for Sheffield United since May 2021 secured a narrow 1-0 home win over Hull.
The 19-year-old striker ended his 18-game league drought for the Blades as Paul Heckingbottom's men maintained their relentless automatic promotion push with an 11th victory from their last 13 games in all competitions.
Hull, though, put up a strong fight and were pressing for an equaliser until a moment of petulance saw Ghana striker Benjamin Tetteh red-carded for an attempted headbutt in the 85th minute.
The game's decisive goal came from the night's first attack in the fourth minute when Anel Ahmedhodzic broke down the right channel and slipped the ball inside for Iliman Ndiaye.
His shot was blocked but the ball broke kindly for Jebbison, who struck from seven yards.
Hull almost hit back immediately, but Wes Foderingham was quickly out of his goal to deny Aaron Connolly after he had raced on to an Oscar Estupinan through-ball.
But the Blades were only denied a second of the night when Alfie Jones made a brilliant block to thwart Jayden Bogle after he had latched on to a big boot forward by Foderingham.
Tigers goalkeeper Matt Ingram then reacted well to save at his near post after Sander Berge had played Jebbison in on goal.
At the other end, Estupinan cleared the crossbar with a header after Jacob Greaves had won an aerial ball into the box.
But the hosts finished the half the stronger, with Tommy Doyle's curling effort from the edge of the area tipped around an upright by Ingram and Berge heading over after exchanging passes with Jebbison.
After the break, a stretching John Egan failed to fully extend Ingram at his far post, while a curling attempt with the outside of his boot from Doyle was headed away from the visitors' goal by Jones.
Hull boss Liam Rosenior responded by making a triple substitution just past the hour and two of the replacements - Ozan Tufan and Tetteh - swiftly combined to tee up an opportunity for Connolly that he lofted well over.
Tetteh also tried his luck with a 30-yard drive that drifted well wide, while moments later Jones headed past the near post from a corner.
Former Blade Regan Slater then climbed highest again in the home box to meet another corner, but his effort cleared the crossbar.
But Tetteh's lively cameo came to an end when, after jostling with fellow substitute Oli McBurnie in preparation for an away free-kick, he thrust his head into the United striker's face.
Tetteh was dismissed and with him went Hull's hopes extending their unbeaten away run to an eighth game.
Heckingbottom is confident Sheffield United will not let their transfer embargo derail their bid for automatic promotion from the Championship.
The Blades have acknowledged the embargo but stressed in a statement their "primary objective" this season remains promotion to the Premier League.
Heckingbottom said: "The club have put out a statement and I have no more information to share on that. The EFL have sanctioned us and we are working out how to deal with that.
"We have dealt with all sorts of things since I have been here and this is just another thing. But we have got ourselves into a good position in the league and, whatever the outcome is, we won't roll over.
"I've seen quite a lot in football - as a player and a manager - and it's just another situation we have to make the best out of. There's nothing at all I can do about it and it only becomes a distraction for the players if you let it be."
Rosenior revealed Tetteh had apologised to him and his team-mates for getting sent off, saying he felt the striker got caught up in the emotion of the game.
"I think it was to do with the emotion both teams were showing," Rosenior said. "They were giving everything and Benji made a mistake.
"He apologised to me and the players afterwards and it was a real shame because, at that point, we were looking like we were going to score.
"We were winning corner after corner and getting entries into their box. Benji also showed a lot of quality after coming on and he will be a big loss for us now."
Rosenior took a lot of encouragement, however, from his team's overall performance, saying: "I thought we pushed a very good team all the way.
"We went down a goal through switching off at a pattern of play that we knew to expect from Sheffield United, which was disappointing.
“But a lot of teams would have gone under after conceding so early and we didn't. Even when we had 10 men on the pitch at the end, we were still pushing.
"Now I just need the players to start believing in their ability because we're not far away from being a very good team at this level."
