DISBELIEVING Jim Magilton was left baffled by Alan Quinn's decision to push away a James Beattie shot that resulted in the penalty that cost Town two points.

Derek Davis

DISBELIEVING Jim Magilton was left baffled by Alan Quinn's decision to push away a James Beattie shot that resulted in the penalty that cost Town two points.

Town looked on course for a third home win in a row before Quinn literally handed his old club a lifeline by pushing away a James Beattie shot.

Beattie took the penalty himself in the final minute of the 90 before three extra minutes were added on.

Magilton said: “Alan made a great save and when you see it over and over gain it is an even better save. Alan has said sorry, what else can you do? Nothing surprises you in this game but I don't really understand why he did it.

“Both penalties were soft ones to give away.

“It is a game we should have seen out. It was not great game but we got our noses in front and if we had kept our shape and had been better with the ball we would have seen it out.

“Richard Wright has done very well for us again so I was thinking a 1-0 win and put it under our belt and move on but we gave away two points.”

Quinn had only been on the pitch for 15 minutes but managed to get himself booked and give away the spot kick.

Tommy Miller had given the Blues a half-time lead, also from the penalty spot and also for a hand ball, this time by Blades defender Matthew Kilgallon.

That hand ball was not as obvious but was spotted by eagle-eyed official Justin Compley who brought it to the referee's attention.

United boss Kevin Blackwell said: “We deserved at least a point and really we should have had more.

“I was very critical of my players at half time because it was a sloppy goal to give away.

“But we kept going and these lads never give up. They kept going and going and eventually we got our reward.”