Middlesbrough go top of the Championship at Bramall Lane

Sheffield United 1 Middlesbrough 2

Boro came out victors against Sheffield United to see themselves go top of the Sky Bet Championship in a tense affair

first half goals from Tommy Conway and Riley McGree was only matched by a Patrick Bamford goal in the second half. Sheffield United also ended the game with 10 men when Joe Rothwell received a straight red.

Kim Hellberg’s side went into the game knowing that a win would take them top of the league due to Coventry’s poor run in recent weeks which saw them draw to Oxford last weekend.

Despite a good start from Sheffield United, Boro took a somewhat unexpected lead. A great piece of link up play down the right flank between Morgan Whittaker Riley McGree found the run of Conway in the box who slotted past Michael Cooper in net.

Even with the growing pressure from Sheffield United, Boro still kept catching them on the break, Hayden Hackney came close with a driven shot from outside of the box but it went narrowly wide.

Bamford almost levelled at the half hour mark, when a brilliant looping ball found him in space in the box. He took it down well to allow him to have take shot at goal but his shot hit the side netting.

Boro again almost conceded only a couple minutes later when a loose pass was intercepted by Femi Seriki who cut it back to Sydie Peck just outside the box and after darting past the Boro defenders, he found Gus Hamer in space. Hamer’s whipped shot was well saved by Sol Brynn.

The Teesider’s doubled their lead just before half time when Hayden Hackney’s strike rattled the post from outside the box and McGree was able to head home the rebound into an empty net.

Boro looked in relative control in the second half, until a brilliant ball from Hamer found Bamford in space, who was able to take it out of his feet strike it past Brynn to get Sheffield back into the game.

Following the goal, Boro looked stunned and Sheffield United piled on the pressure, with a darting run from Andre Brooks into the box resulted in a strike from Tyrese Campbell through several bodies however Brynn gets down well to block it.

The game however took another turn, with 10 minutes left, when Rothwell was given his marching orders by Gavin Ward after a late crunching tackle brought down Alan Browne on the counter, gave him no choice.

Boro play away to Coventry in an eagerly anticipated game at the top of the table, where if Boro win they can go five points clear at the top, on Monday 16th February at 8:00.

Sheffield United play Portsmouth on Saturday 14th at 3:00 at Fratton Park.