Barnsley 0 Sheffield United 1: Sharp regains edge to drive Barnsley to distraction

How can a team like Barnsley find sufficient inspiration to overcome top Premier League opposition, yet lack the wherewithal to overcome the relatively modest threat of local rivals Sheffield United?

The town continues to celebrate achieving a winnable Wembley semi-final place, yet Saturday's game illustrated the downside of that achievement. To begin with, a crowd of 15,798 was disappointing for a game which would normally have filled the stadium. In an area of limited economic means, fans are picking and choosing their games and, right now, London in a fortnight is the main attraction.

But this reversal leaves the Tykes in a relegation dogfight, however their manager, Simon Davey, chooses to dress it. "If you can tell me any player today that had his eye on Wembley, I'll buy you a pint," he said. Yet how can his captain, Brian Howard, who is one yellow card away from missing the semi-final, possibly relax? When it was pointed out that Barnsley are just two points above the drop zone, Davey said: "Everyone talks about the magic 50 [to avoid relegation] but I think it'll be 52 this year. We have 46 – largely based on our home form, but this makes today a real disappointment."

Disappointment it was, for Barnsley matched the Blades in every department except that of scoring. This was the day Billy Sharp came good. Since re-signing from Scunthorpe, Sharp had languished on the fringes of the squad till Kevin Blackwell arrived. Staurday's was the game when he repaid the new manager's faith.

Taking Gary Speed's superb snow-sprayer of a pass in his stride, Sharp jinked past three home defenders before slotting the ball past the otherwise excellent Luke Steele. "Billy will get the plaudits today and he'll deserve them," Blackwell said. "It's been a tough, tough time and he's come through it. They paid £2m for him; well, I'd have paid £4m for someone who can finish like that."

The longer the game went on, the more Speed took the reins. While he did not exactly bestride the field like a colossus, his neat touches were everywhere, even when the elements were at their most hostile.

Goal: Sharp (77) 0-1.

Barnsley (4-4-2): Steele; Foster, Nyatanga, Souza (Van Homoet, 36), Kozluk; Devaney, Howard, Hassell, Leon (Ferenczi, 83); Macken, Odejayi (Nardiello, 72). Substitutes not used: Togwell, Coulson.

Sheffield United (4-4-2): Kenny; Geary (Halls, 37), Morgan, Kilgallon, Naysmith; Cotterill, Speed, Tonge, Carney (Gillespie, 71); Sharp, Hulse (Beattie, 62). Substitutes not used: Stead, Ehiogu.

Referee: L Probert (Wiltshire).

Booked: Sheffield United Sharp.

Man of the match: Speed.

Attendance: 15,798.

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