GIllingham 1-2 Sheffield United: Late Billy Sharp penalty secures back-to-back wins for Blades

By Ben Nagle

Highlights of Sheffield United's 2-1 win against Gillingham

A last-gasp Billy Sharp penalty ensured Sheffield United came from behind to beat Gillingham in a hard-fought game at the Priestfield Stadium.

Gillingham took the lead through Bradley Dack before the break, but second-half goals from Kieron Freeman and Sharp secured all three points for the away side.

The hosts started the brighter of the two sides and could have gone 1-0 up inside five minutes when Cody McDonald found himself one-on-one with Moore.

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Josh Wright slotted a wonderful ball through to his team-mate, who skipped past the last defender but couldn't quite find the finish the home fans craved.

Shortly later, United had big appeals for a penalty waved away when Freeman was brought down inside the area by Adedeji Oshilaja. The Gillingham defender's double tackle was clumsy, and he was perhaps lucky to get away with the challenge.

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Image: Billy Sharp scored the winner with a last-gasp penalty at Gillingham

With 10 minutes to go until half-time, Dack opened the scoring with a wonderful curling free-kick. Daniel Lafferty was booked for the challenge, and he was left to rue his error when last season's League One Player of the Year fired home from 20 yards out.

United began the second half brightly and almost levelled things up when Sharp fired hard and low at Jonathan Bond, but the keeper saved well.

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Blades captain Sharp turned provider a few minutes later when the away side eventually did get on the scoresheet. Crossing from the left, he found team-mate Freeman, who was able to poke home under pressure from the defence.

From there, it was anyone's game as both sides fought hard for a winner. It looked as though the spoils would be shared, until a devastating moment for young defender Josh Pask in the 89th minute.

Image: Bradley Dack put Gillingham ahead with a wonderful curling free-kick

After coming on as a half-time substitute, the 18-year-old - on loan from West Ham United - inexplicably handled the ball inside the area to gift United a chance to win it.

Sharp stepped up, and made no mistake as he found the top-left hand corner. Chris Wilder's side endured a poor start to the season, but they are now up and running with back-to-back League One victories.

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