Sheffield United 0-3 Hull City: FLW report as Tigers stun Blades at Bramall Lane | OneFootball

FLW reports live from Bramall Lane for this Yorkshire Derby

Hull City caused a turn up for the books at promotion-chasing Sheffield United on Friday night, as a controlled performance gave the Tigers a 3-0 victory at Bramall Lane.

Chris Wilder's side came into this Yorkshire Derby as the overwhelming favourites against their relegation-threatened opponents, and handed full debuts to big-money signing Tom Cannon and Ben Brereton Diaz, the latter who began his second stint as a Blade on the night.

However, a sublime early finish from Matt Crooks - on his first start after signing from Real Salt Lake earlier in the month - a neat finish from substitute Matty Jacob midway through the second period and a Harrison Burrows own goal in the dying embers of the game gave Ruben Selles' side a mammoth three points in their fight against the drop.

Hull City stun Sheffield United at Bramall Lane

The first chance of the game came on three minutes, as Brereton Diaz looked to make an immediate impact on his return to the Steel City.

Andrew Kitchen played a smart advantage after Fin Burns' foul on Tom Cannon, with Callum O'Hare threading a ball down the left side of Hull's backline, before the returning Ivor Pandur was on hand to tip the Chilean's effort around the post.

However, it would be the Tigers who would draw first blood just seconds later, courtesy of Matt Crooks on his full debut.

City were able to break at pace through Abu Kamara, and whilst the winger was unable to pick out debutant Kyle Joseph, Alfie Gilchrist could only clear the ball into the playmaker's path, as he fired a curling effort into the bottom-right-hand corner after six minutes.

United's first response to the setback came on the 15-minute mark through neat work from Andre Brooks on the right-flank, but O'Hare's subsequent header was always rising over Pandur's net.

Kamara then looked to put Hull in further dreamland with a curling effort that was well-blocked by Jack Robinson, before O'Hare was in the thick of the action once more, this time unable to turn a wicked ball from Sam McCallum home.

On the half-hour mark, the Blades' search for a leveller continued with a succession of corners, with the first of three requiring Hull's Croatian keeper to turn the ball behind, whilst on the latter, no one in Red and White was able to convert from close range amid a melee in the penalty box.

Brereton Diaz then couldn't take advantage of a defensive mishap by the Tigers following a searching ball from Sydie Peck, with Cody Drameh standing in the way of a powerful drive destined for the bottom corner.

The Southampton loanee was involved again just seconds later, as his appeal in vain for a spot-kick was dismissed by Kitchen after failing to weave his way past Hull captain, Alfie Jones.

Wilder's side weren't presented with any further openings to draw themselves level, with no shots on target in the opening 45 minutes and a lack of urgency causing understandable frustration for the Bramall Lane natives.

Unsurprisingly, the Blades continued to dominate proceedings from the get-go in the second period, with McCallum seeing a fizzing effort turned behind by Sean McLoughlin after finding himself in an advanced position.

O'Hare would then have Pandur concerned five minutes into the half, as his looping header from Peck's deflected switch was inches away from creeping under the crossbar, with the City keeper at full stretch to turn it behind for a corner.

Both sides then turned to their bench, with Rhian Brewster, Tyrese Campbell and Vini Souza entering the fray for the Blades, whilst Selles introduced Matty Jacob in place of Fin Burns, and Eliot Matazo - whose signing was announced two hours before kick-off, was handed his debut in place of goalscorer, Crooks.

Campbell then thought he'd made an instant impact to the Blades on 57 minutes, after he was sent one-on-one with Pandur by Mike Cooper, only to be judged narrowly offside after converting from close range.

After withstanding an onslaught of pressure, Kamara was denied the chance to give Hull much-needed daylight on the scoreboard, courtesy of the onrushing Cooper.

However, Selles' men would only be waiting a matter of seconds for their second goal to arrive, courtesy of the aforementioned Jacob, who was able to edge past Gilchrist in the centre of the box in order to prod a low Drameh cross past Cooper from 10 yards out.

The stunned Blades were unable to mount a response for nigh on 10 minutes, with O'Hare lashing a wayward effort into the Kop.

United's night would be summed up on 78 minutes, as Souza picked out his fellow substitute Jesurun Rak-Sakyi in acres of space on the right side, with the Crystal Palace loanee then finessing an effort well wide of the mark.

Hull subs Gustavo Puerta and Joao Pedro were then unable to combine for a third, with the experienced striker inches away from connecting with the Colombian's central delivery.

Campbell would then be thwarted on two successive occasions, with Jacob diverting the first of those behind, whilst the 25-year-old then missed a golden opportunity from the resulting corner to provide a grandstand finish.

Harrison Burrows was then afforded way too much time and space on the edge of the box, but the midfielder, who netted twice against Norwich City, fired his shot way over the bar.

The versatile man's night would then go from bad to worse, as Hull's supporters were sent into ecstasy once more.

Pedro was able to skip away from Anel Ahmedhodzic, and the Brazilian's near-post effort was put into his own net by Burrows two minutes from time.

An extremely below-par result from United's point of view now opens the door for Sunderland to close the gap on the top two to just one point against Plymouth Argyle on Saturday afternoon, whilst Leeds United could extend their lead over the Blades at the top of the Championship with victory over Burnley on Monday night.

Meanwhile, a statement victory from the Tigers sees them climb as high as 18th ahead of Saturday's fixtures, with Selles' men now winning three consecutive away games, and keeping a clean sheet in all of those.

Player Ratings

Sheffield United

Michael Cooper - 6

Alfie Gilchrist - 6 (Rak Sakyi 65" - 6)

Anel Ahmedhodzic - 6

Jack Robinson - 6

Sam McCallum - 6.5 (Souza 56" - 7)

Sydie Peck - 7

Harrison Burrows - 5.5

Andre Brooks - 6.5 (Campbell 56" - 6)

Callum O'Hare - 7

Ben Brereton Diaz - 6.5 (Brewster 56" - 6.5)

Tom Cannon - 6

Hull City

Ivor Pandur - 7.5

Cody Drameh - 8

Alfie Jones - 7

Fin Burns - 7 (Jacob 55" - 7.5)

Sean McLoughlin - 7

Regan Slater - 6.5 (Puerta 74" - 6)

Matt Crooks - 7.5 (Matazo 55" - 6)

Steven Alzate - 7.5

Abu Kamara - 7.5

Kyle Joseph - 6 (Pedro - 65" - 6.5)

Joe Gelhardt - 6.5 (Burstow 75" - 6)

Chris Wilder reacts as Sheffield United defeated by Hull City

Speaking to the press post-match, Wilder was quick to praise Hull's performance, as well as believing that a run of numerous games in quick succession may have caught up with his side.

"There'll be a dramatic reaction to this," he began. "But, maybe it's just caught up with us a little bit.

"I've got to say, congratulations to Ruben and his side. Getting the first goal tonight was key. And, then I thought they defended very, very well and compact.

"They made it difficult for us, there wasn't much space for us to play," Wilder added.

"But, from our point of view, we never found that bit of rhythm, connection or quality around the edge of their box.

"The first goal's a really poor one from our point of view. It's on the edge of their box, they counter and it's a great finish which gives them the impetus and belief that it's going to be their night.

"We pushed and made positive changes to get back into the game," he continued.

"There's a big moment just after half-time. I've not seen it back, but I've been told it's very tight. It's not gone for us, and then the second goal is the killer.

He concluded: "The third, I'm okay with as we're trying to make it an interesting last 10–15 minutes, and they've got it and it's then game, set and match."

Ruben Selles reacts to mammoth Hull City success

Addressing the media post-match, Selles was quick to state that from one to eleven, all in Black and Amber played their part in securing a pivotal three points.

"I think that was a statement performance," the Spaniard began.

"Obviously, the victory comes with the performance. I think we were very solid in the things that we did today. I know there is some good things in this team, and I expected the team to have character and play how we wanted, and I think we saw those things today.

"We have been talking about getting the key moments of games on our side, and that's what we did today," he added.

"I think when you play against a good team and you sit low and wait for things to happen, you won't get anything, and I think we showed that we can go and press them high up the pitch.

"Sometimes they broke our pressure, and then we need to become lower in the pitch to defend, and I think we did that excellently and took our moments.

"We showed a robustness that I really liked today," Selles continued.

"They had a massive amount of set-pieces which we dealt with really well, and we are becoming a team that can cope with those moments.

"We also knew we would have space in those moments, and we played the actions brilliantly.

"Being ahead early in the game allowed us to be a little bit more free and allowed us to play the game we wanted," he concluded.

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