BARNSLEY 0
SHEFFIELD UNITED 1 (Sharp 78)

IT was snow joke for the Reds as Barnsley's profligate finishing cost Simon Davey's side yet again.

Reds boss Simon Davey looked to freshen things up again as he searched for the win that would move his side closer to safety. Bobby Hassell, Martin Devaney and Diego Leon came back into the side at the expense of Sam Togwell, Istvan Ferenczi and Marciano Van Homoet.

Barnsley were right at it from the first whistle on a freezing afternoon at Oakwell. Jon Macken almost got in with seconds on the clock as the chased down Kayode Odejayi's flick. Odejayi then caused problems in the Blades area on two minutes as he looked to control a loose ball but it just got away from him as Chris Morgan closed out the danger.

United responded and David Cotterill brought a smart save from Luke Steele on seven minutes as he smashed a bouncing ball back goalward but the Reds keeper was down quickly to smother his shot.

Barnsley finally played some football on ten minutes as Brian Howard and Leon combined to send Macken in behind Matt Kilgallon but the striker was harshly flagged offside with only Paddy Kenny to beat.

Martin Devaney had the beating of the United defence on 12 minutes as he pounced on a loose ball after great tenacious play by Leon. Devaney chipped the ball to the back stick to give Odejayi a chance but the big striker lost his footing at the crucial moment and the opportunity went begging.

Leon had the United defence scrambling again five minutes later as he raced through the heart of midfield before shooting but his effort cannoned away off Kilgallon and out to safety. Macken then did well seconds later to bring the ball down and shoot from the edge of the area but his effort was blocked through to Kenny.

United piled on the pressure on 23 minutes after David Carney had hit the deck easily under a challenge by Devaney. In the scramble that followed the free kick Billy Sharp saw a shot well blocked. At the other end Howard brought a save from Kenny with a volley seconds later.

United should have been in front on 24 minutes as Cotterill got in behind Lewin Nyatanga to cross but somehow Rob Hulse headed wide of the target from six yards.

Barnsley then had half shout for a penalty waved away on 27 minutes as Kilgallon ended Odejayi's run rather clumsily in the area as the striker raced onto Macken's pass but the referee gave nothing.

Leon almost broke the deadlock a minute later as United stood off and watched the striker let fly from the edge of the area and the Blades had to thank Kenny, who dove full-length to claw the ball out of the top corner. Odejayi was in the thick of the action again seconds later from Howard's corner as he put a header onto the roof of the net from six yards.

Odejayi again could have had a penalty on 32 minutes as he was manhandled to the ground by Morgan but again referee Lee Probert gave nothing.

Barnsley were rocked on 36 minutes after Dennis Souza clashed with Rob Hulse on the edge of the area. The incident left Souza in agony and ended his game early. The Brazilian was replaced by Van Homoet.

United were also forced into an early change when Derek Geary departed the pitch injured a minute later. He was replaced by John Halls.

The Reds could have been in front just seconds before the break when Macken found Devaney in the area. The winger did well to turn but lashed his shot high over the top of Kenny's goal.

Howard tried to grab the game by the scruff of the neck in the opening stages of the second half and brought a save from Kenny on 47 minutes. Seconds later Macken managed to dig out a cross for Odejayi to attack and Kenny had to thank Morgan for a good block on the line. Devaney then found a yard of space in the area to shoot but again Kenny got down well to save.

Kenny got lucky on 49 minutes as he woeful clearance fell to Devaney on half way but the winger could not put his shot on target with the goal gaping.

It was United's turn to attack and Hulse and Gary Speed went close in the area as the Reds survived a loud penalty appeal as the ball struck Nyatanga. At the other end Leon curled a free kick well over the bar on 53 minutes after Howard's run had been brought to an abrupt end by Carney.

Howard again was in the thick of the action as his corner caused pandemonium in the Blades defence on 56 minutes. The ball fell to Hassell, who saw his shot cannon away off a crowd on the line. Howard then send in a fine cross from the right seconds later but Stephen Foster could not direct the ball goalward under pressure.

Again the play swung to the other end with Cotterill getting a good run at Rob Kozluk on 58 minutes. Cotterill managed to dig the ball out from the byline but Carney could not get his volley on target at the back post.

United got away with another massive appeal on the hour mark as Hassell's long throw struck Hulse on the arm and bounced away. From Leon's corner Odejayi was practically thrown to the ground by Morgan as the pair went for Foster's knock back but yet again referee Probert amazingly gave nothing.

Hassell and Howard did well to send Macken in towards goal on 63 minutes but the striker saw his shot cannon off Kilgallon and through to Kenny. United then went close on 67 minutes when Carney's volley struck Van Homoet as it looked to head towards Steele.

At the other end Macken's cross flew along the six yard line on 68 minutes but neither Howard nor Odejayi could get a touch. It eventually fell out to Leon but his shot was hacked clear by a crowded United defence. Howard then brought a save from Kenny will a shot from distance on 70 minutes.

Barnsley had a massive let off on 75 minutes when Tonge's pass send Gary Speed in behind a shellshocked Reds defence who were too busy appealing for offside to notice the veteran's run. Speed raced in on goal and crashed a shot past Steele but off the inside of the post and away.

United came on strong and got the goal that dumped the Reds right in the middle of a relegation scrap on 78 minutes as Speed's pass sent Sharp in behind the Barnsley defence. Sharp had his chance and smashed the ball past Steele and into the bottom corner.

Barnsley only had themselves to blame again on 81 minutes as Sharp was able to get down the right and fire the ball across goal to give James Beattie a tap in but Steele somehow denied the ex-England striker from point blank range.

The opportunities still came and Hassell put the ball on Howard's head on 84 minutes but even the Reds inspirational skipper could not find a finish and nodded the ball wide from 12 yards.

Sharp again managed to get the wrongside of an outnumbered Barnsley defence in stoppage time but again Steele managed to keep the score down with a great diving stop.

BARNSLEY: Steele, Foster, Nyatanga, Souza (Van Homoet 36), Kozluk, Devaney, Hassell, Howard, Leon (Ferenczi 82), Macken, Odejayi (Nardiello 72).
Subs: Togwell, Coulson.

SHEFFIELD UNITED: Kenny, Naysmith, Morgan, Hulse (Beattie 62), Cotterill, Carney (Gillespie 70), Speed, Kilgallon, Tonge, Sharp, Geary (Halls 36).
Subs: Stead, Ehiogu.