Ifill blunts Blades hype

Millwall 1 Sheffield United

Sheffield United's first League defeat in three months and only their second in all competitions in 17 matches arrived at The Den yesterday and cast doubt on the confidence that had led them to becoming the in-form team of the First Division.

Typically United's manager, Neil Warnock, did not shield his players: "We were far too complacent. We waited until they scored before we played. Until then we just cruised.''

However Millwall's manager, Mark McGhee, said he still believed United will win their place in the Premiership while his own team's victory "put us back in there. It's made us contenders for the play-offs.'' At the same time the win acted as a valuable incentive before this week's FA Cup fourth-round replay against Southampton.

McGhee and Warnock had both viewed their clubs' recent cup exploits with caution. Cup runs, they consider, are merely exciting diversions to the real work. And that was why Warnock was fuming and McGhee rejoicing.

Millwall's draw with Southampton had been proof that nothing succeeds like experience. Steve Claridge is 37 but he gave Saints the runaround while United's defeat of Ipswich was founded on the midfield work of Michael Brown, who was excess to needs at Manchester City.

Yesterday Claridge was again left to forage more or less alone as Millwall's permanent attack, with Paul Ifill and Peter Sweeney supporting. Meanwhile Dennis Wise had to galvanise the midfield against Brown's occasional ingenuity and the probing of Michael Tonge.

Claridge clearly still thrives on his responsibilities and here he was the game's most effective striker. For though Wayne Quinn had the only serious shot of the first half-hour – it slithered past Millwall's far post – United generally gave little impression of being the team of reputation until Brown pulled wide and extended Tony Warner into a diving save across the goal

United's defence coped well enough with Millwall's counter-attacking but, in truth, the defenders of either side had little need to worry. Invention was sorely lacking, Brown being the only source of optimism for an improvement in the sad standard.

Millwall's decision to replace Sweeney with Christ-ophe Kinet increased their attacking options out wide. On the hour Claridge headed a corner back across the goalmouth for Paul Robinson to head close. Four minutes later, Millwall achieved what had looked improbable – a constructive, exciting attack in which Claridge ran strongly on the left, turned the ball inside and Ifill took it up before aiming a superb drive beyond Paddy Kenny and beyond any earlier hopes of such a spark of quality.

Millwall 1 Sheffield United 0
Ifill 63

Half-time: 0-0 Attendance: 9,102