Hull City put a dent in Sheffield Utd’s promotion hopes
Hull City have stunned Championship promotion-hopefuls Sheffield United with a 3-0 win at Bramall Lane to climb out of the bottom three.
Matt Crooks gave the Tigers an early lead and substitute Matty Jacob struck in the second half before the Blades’ misery was completed by defender Harrison Burrows’ late own goal.
Ruben Selles’ side sealed their third straight away win and it was Hull’s first at the South Yorkshire ground since 2010.
The Blades, who had not lost to Hull in their previous seven league encounters, slipped to their fifth Championship defeat of the season and missed the chance to leapfrog Leeds United back into top spot.
Once again they were without Socceroos defender Harry Souttar, who has a ruptured Achilles and is a long-term out, and he was sorely missed.
But Hull broke from a corner to take a shock sixth-minute lead following a rare Blades defensive lapse this season.
Adam Gilchrist miscued his attempted clearance and former Middlesbrough midfielder Crooks – signed from Salt Lake City and one of six new January signings for the Tigers – pounced to curl home an excellent finish.
It was only the sixth goal the Blades have conceded at Bramall Lane in the Championship this season, while they have kept 16 clean sheets in all.
But after the Blades had laboured to a 2-1 win at Swansea on Tuesday this was another disjointed display.
Hull doubled their lead when the hosts failed to clear on-loan Leeds player Gelhardt’s cross and when another was sent back in by Cody Drameh, fellow full-back Jacob reacted quickest to divert the ball into the bottom corner.
The Blades cranked up the pressure in the closing stages but found clear-cut chances hard to come by.
Tyrese Campbell fired over from close range and Burrows blazed off target, while plenty in the home seats had called it a night before the latter diverted substitute Joao Pedro’s low cross into his own net.
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