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Sheffield United vs Norwich City. Sky Bet Championship.

Bramall LaneAttendance27,267.

Canaries undone by Blades

Image: Henderson: United match-winner

Sheffield United boosted their promotion hopes and left Norwich in further trouble with a 1-0 home win.

Henderson header sinks Norwich

Sheffield United boosted their promotion hopes and left Norwich in further trouble with a 1-0 victory at Bramall Lane. Darius Henderson, deputising for James Beattie, scored the crucial goal in the 17th minute when he headed home from close range. Norwich struck the woodwork in each half but the Blades were largely in control and missed several opportunities to win more comfortably. United's Stephen Quinn was in the thick of the opening exchanges. The midfielder fizzed a 25-yard volley into the hands of David Marshall in the Norwich goal after 10 minutes, before rattling the visitors' crossbar with a similar effort three minutes later. But it was Henderson who gave Kevin Blackwell's men the lead, nodding home from inside the six-yard area. He came close to his second goal of the game in the 26th minute, capitalising on an error from Jonathan Grounds to test Marshall with a stinging drive. Ten minutes later Matthew Kilgallon had a chance to extend United's lead, heading wide from Quinn's corner.

Thwarted

Norwich almost made the hosts pay for not pushing home their advantage when Wes Hoolahan headed Mark Fotheringham's cross against the post five minutes before the break. And on the stroke of half-time Paddy Kenny had to be alert to thwart Arturo Lupoli's left-footed effort from the edge of the penalty area. Billy Sharp roused United from their pre-half-time slumber, testing Marshall from 18 yards 40 seconds after the re-start. Moments later Sharp spurned a gilt-edged chance to add the second when he lost his footing with the goal at his mercy, after linking up well with Danny Webber. The home side remained on top and Marshall produced an impressive double save to stop Henderson doubling United's lead in the 63rd minute.
Rally
First, the Norwich keeper benefited from astute positioning to block the former Watford striker's powerful header from Sharp's cross, before reacting quickly to parry the right-footed follow up. Norwich rallied in the closing stages and United full-back Kyle Naughton put his body on the line to deny Lupoli from close range, following impressive build-up play from Hoolahan in the 78th minute. The pair combined again with five minutes remaining, as the Italian striker headed agonisingly against the post. Norwich continued to push in vain for the equaliser and Gary Doherty forced an excellent save from Kenny in stoppage time.

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