City should have been dead and buried – Blackwell

Sheffield United boss Kevin Blackwell made no apologies for his feuding players after City's late winning goal sparked angry scenes involving skipper Chris Morgan and substitute Lee Hendrie.

“That's what you want,” said Blackwell. “If they all just pat themselves on the back as they walk back to the halfway line I'd be grabbing people by the throats, so it just shows it was a cruel way for the game to end and it certainly hurt a few people, so good. The goal's gone in and people are pointing fingers.

“I'm disappointed about the game and the players have shown me that they care about the club and about their own performances - they've remonstrated among themselves and that's what they should do. Too many people don't care about their job and walk away and smile about it. You want people who do care.”

Blackwell felt the Blades should have been well ahead before the late drama of David Marshall's save from Danny Webber and Lee Croft's winner.

“We should have finished the game off way before that and we've been taught a lesson that if you don't take chances, you can get punished and we got punished today. It was as simple as that, really,” said Blackwell.

“Up to half-time, we've had four or five great chances and Marshall has kept them in the game.

“The game should have been dead and buried at half-time but fair play to Marshall. They were matchwinning saves.”

United goalkeeper Paddy Kenny said he was beaten by Croft's injury-time shot because it took a slight deflection off the head of skipper Chris Morgan.

“I thought I had it covered,” he said. “I'm sure I would have got a hand to it, but it took the slightest of deflections off Morgs and that's what beat me.

“We were devastated to lose it like that. When that happens it really takes the stuffing out of you. We had enough chances to win the game and didn't feel we deserved to lose.”