Sheffield United made it back-to-back Championship wins with a 2-0 victory at Blackburn.
Chris Wilder’s men bossed the game from the moment Harrison Burrows’ crisp strike – his first for the club – fired them into the lead early in the first half.
They created numerous opportunities with Kieffer Moore twice going close in the second half before Tyrese Campbell’s second in as many matches just after the hour put the game to bed.
Even then, the Blades threatened to add to the lead through Gus Hamer but Wilder will be pleased with this professional performance that completely blunted Blackburn, whose unbeaten start to the season at Ewood Park comprehensively ended.
Yuki Ohashi saw a half volley well blocked as his team started well but the Blades’ growing pressure paid off in the 16th minute.
It was messy from a Rovers perspective as Joe Rankin-Costello’s hurried clearance of Vinicius Souza’s deflected shot landed straight at the feet of Burrows on the left of the area and he needed no invitation to lash home into the right corner.
They carved Blackburn open again moments later when Jesurun Rak-Sakyi’s reverse ball found Moore whose low cross was destined to give Callum O’Hare a tap-in until Dominic Hyam’s outstanding block thwarted him.
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Sheffield United’s Harrison Burrows blasted the ball into the bottom corner to score his first goal for the club and open the scoring against Blackburn.
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Sheffield United’s Tyrese Campbell scored their second goal against Blackburn by scoring an excellent volley.
Wilder’s men were sloppy in possession at times and almost paid in the 34th minute when Ohashi broke forward and found Tyrhys Dolan whose teasing low cross was somehow missed at the back post by Ryan Hedges when an equaliser looked certain.
Blackburn were indebted to Aynsley Pears for keeping them in the game just after the restart when Oliver Arblaster’s free-kick was met by a thumping Moore header but the Rovers goalkeeper superbly tipped over.
Moore went even closer in the 56th minute when he peeled off at the far post and his header across goal beat Pears but Hyam superbly cleared off the line.
There was to be no third reprieve though as the Blades doubled their advantage in the 64th minute.
Moore was instrumental, taking his time to set up Campbell whose first shot was parried back to him by Pears but he made no mistake with the rebound, volleying powerfully into the back of the net.
Blackburn tried to hit back and Rankin-Costello curled wide soon after but Sheffield United continued to look dangerous and substitute Andre Brooks worked a decent opening in the 70th minute only to see Pears save his curling effort.
Further chances fell their way when Hamer’s instinctive shot forced a sprawling save from Pears, who came out to deny Hamer a certain third in stoppage time, but it did not matter as they cruised to victory.
The managers
Blackburn’s John Eustace:
To follow…
Sheffield United’s Chris Wilder:
To follow…
