Rob Dickie abysmal, Max O’Leary heroic – Bristol City ratings v Sheffield United
Rob Dickie’s calamitous defending led to Sheffield United easily beating a valiant Bristol City side 3-0 in their play-off semi final first leg.
Dickie’s red card and penalty given away on the stroke of half time caused the Robins’ slim chances of taking a result away from the Blades to evaporate.
Goals from Harrison Burrows, Andre Brooks and Callum O’Hare mean United will hold a three-goal lead when City head to Bramall Lane on Monday (12 May).
Liam Manning may well end up at Leicester next season, but his focus will be on trying to overcome the brutal three-goal deficit his side now face.
Liam Manning
Max O’Leary – 8 – Player of the Match
The busy shot-stopper did his best and without his efforts, the score-line would have been doubled.
George Tanner – 3
Torn apart by the movement and creativity of Gustavo Hamer.
Rob Dickie sent off for challenge on Kieffer Moore
Rob Dickie – 1
Caught doing pirouettes in the middle of the pitch, before rugby tackling Kieffer Moore. Single-handedly killed his side’s slim chances of becoming a Premier League team.
Zak Vyner – 4
The best of a really, really bad defensive trio, but not by much.
Yu Hirakawa (off for Roberts 46′) – 3
Taken off at halftime after suffering a knock, lacked impact even before the injury.
Jason Knight – 7
Aside from O’Leary, Knight was by far and away the best player in a Bristol shirt. Deserving of a place in the Premier League, even if the Robins fail to get promoted.
Joe Williams (off for Earthy 40′) – 6
Was beginning to have an impressive game in the middle of the park alongside Knight, before injury cruelly ended his playoff dreams.
Ross McCrorie – 4
Caught an elbow to the face, causing a delay in the first half. His only notable impact on the match.
Sinclair Armstrong struggles to have impact from the bench
Max Bird (off for McGuane 74′) – 3
Struggled to get a touch on the ball, let alone create a chance for his teammates.
Anis Mehmeti (off for Bell 84′) – 4
Mehmeti put in a shift for his side, but ultimately failed to produce anything of any real quality.
Nakhi Wells (off for Armstrong 46′) – 2
Wells had a miserable game against Leeds at the end of April, and it was the same story once again against the Blades.
Substitutes
George Earthy (on for Williams 40′) – 4
Showed flashes of his talent, but struggled to get on the ball against a top-notch United side.
Haydon Roberts (on for Hirakawa 46′) – 4
Much like the Japanese wing-back, found the task of dealing with Hamer to be almost impossible.
Sinclair Armstrong (on for Wells 46′) – 5
The enigma that is the Robins’ Irish forward can either be a match-winner or non-existent; against the Blades, it was the latter.
Marcus McGuane (on for Bird 74′) – 5
Offered good energy, but the damage was done by the time of his introduction.
Samuel Bell (on for Mehmeti 84′) – 5
Did not have enough time to have any real sort of impact from the bench.