HALF-TIME: Sheffield United 1 Ipswich Town 2

GOALS from Tamas Priskin and Gareth McAuley gave Town an interval lead in their Championship fixture at Bramall Lane on Saturday.

Alan Quinn’s brother Stephen had equalised for the Blades after Priskin’s early goal.

Town made one change from the side that beat Millwall 2-0 at home last weekend. Skipper Norris was not fit enough to play after picking up an ankle injury against the Londoners and his place in midfield was taken by Tottenham loanee Livermore.

McAuley was making his 100th Blues appearance at the back, with Hyam returning to the fold and named one of the substitutes.

Former Town keeper Wright was on the Blades bench, but there was no place for Reid, the experienced midfielder who like Colback is currently being loaned out by Sunderland.

Leadbitter led the visiting team out onto the pitch against a United team that had previously lost four home league matches.

Town took the lead in the sixth minute with a simple goal following a long throw in from the right by Edwards. A defender was beaten by the bounce, and when Colback headed the ball forward, Priskin got a touch from six yards out to deflect the ball into the net for his fifth goal of the season.

From Leadbitter’s corner two minutes later, Delaney had a free header that he sent over the bar from 10 yards.

Smith’s long ball forward in the 15th minute almost brought another Priskin goal. The striker held off Ertl and struck the nearside post with an angled effort.

Town fans behind that goal responded with a Marcus Stewart-like ‘There’s only one Tamas Priskin’ chant to show their current appreciation of the in-form front man.

It had been mainly Ipswich with home fans already showing their displeasure, but in the 23rd minute Sheffield came within a whisker of an equaliser.

Ward turned McAuley on the left and Cresswell’s far post header beat Fulop with Delaney being in the right place to head off the line. A scramble ensued with Ipswich blocking a couple of shots before Yeates fired just wide of the near post.

After looking so comfortable in the opening stages, Town now had a real fight on their hands after Quinn scored the Blades’ first goal in three games in the 30th minute.

The equaliser came after Leadbitter lost possession as Town looked to clear with United building down their right and the ball dropping for Quinn to bury a low left-foot 17 yard shot inside Fulop’s near post.

After being on the back foot since the leveller, Town went in front courtesy of some dreadful home defending in the 41st minute. Livermore fed Leadbitter well and from the high cross, McAuley – still up field after a corner – headed the ball, and when it dropped the central defender had plenty of time to score low inside the helpless skipper’s right hand post.

It was McAuley’s second goal of the season and a suitable way to celebrate his century of Town appearances. Half-time: Sheffield United 1 Ipswich Town 2

Teams

Sheffield United: Simonsen; Lowton, Ertl, Bartley, Nosworthy; Yeates, Britton, Montgomery, Quinn; Cresswell, Ward. Substitutes:

Ipswich Town: Fulop; Eastman, McAuley, Delaney, Smith; Edwards, Leadbitter, Livermore, Colback; Scotland, Priskin. Substitutes: Wickham, Murphy, Brown, Peters, Townsend, Hyam, Murray.

Referee: Mr G Salisbury (Lancashire).