Blackpool vs Sheffield United LIVE: Updates as Man City loanee McAtee scores after run from his own half

30 Dec 2022

Yorkshire Live

Hello and welcome to our live blog of Sheffield United's match at Blackpool. Paul Heckingbottom's men got their festive period off to a great start with a 3-1 win over Coventry City on Boxing Day.

The Blades arrived in good form and were hoping to continue that here tonight as they looked to maintain an impressive gap to the play-off positions in second place.

They got off to the pefect start thanks to Sander Berge's first-half strike and James McAtee then scored a wonderful solo goal to make it 2-0. However, the hosts set up an interesting finish when they pulled a goal back from a corner through Marvin Ekpiteta.

Here is the story of another well deserved victory.

Key Events

22:08KEY EVENT

Full-time

All over at Bloomfield Road and another well deserved victory for the Blades

22:06Nathan Hemmingham

Added on time

Four minutes to go

90 mins Nathan Hemmingham

Saved by Foderingham

The Blades keeper reacts late on to push an effort wide of the post as Blackpool threaten

88 minsNathan Hemmingham

Another United change

Daniel Jebbison comes on for Iliman Ndiaye

77 minsNathan Hemmingham

Double change for United

McAtee and Stevens off for Tommy Doyle and Max Lowe

73 minsNathan Hemmingham

Norwood over the bar

Oliver Norwood comes close to making it 3-1 with an effort from distance that is tipped over the bar for a corner

70 minsNathan Hemmingham

First United change

Jayden Bogle's work is done and is replaced by George Baldock

A great display from Bogle

21:36Nathan Hemmingham

Poor defending for the goal

Paul Heckingbottom will not be happy with the way his players defended that corner.

Had chances to clear and Ekpiteta had got goal side of Robinson to slot home

Having been in full control United have now invited the hosts back into this one.

55 minsKEY EVENT

GOAL Blackpool 2-1

The hosts are back in this one after poor defending from United at a corner

Marvin Ekpiteta slots home from a yard out

Game on again

21:28Nathan Hemmingham

Lovely solo goal from McAtee

The midfielder runs from deep inside his own half after United defend a free-kick and he goes unchallenged as the Blackpool players cannot catch him and he slots home at the near post

Lovely finish once again from the youngster

50 minsKEY EVENT

GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLL 2-0

United double their lead through James McAtee

21:18KEY EVENT

Second half

United get the game back under way

21:05Nathan Hemmingham

Sheffield United half-time ratings

How the Blades players rated in that first half

Foderingham 5; Ahmedhodzic 7, Clark 6, Robinson 6; Bogle 8, Norwood 7, Berge 8, McAtee 7, Stevens 6; Ndiaye 8, Sharp 6.

21:03Nathan Hemmingham

Half-time

United lead at the break through Sander Berge's first half strike and it's been comfortable for United, who should be more in front that the single goal.

45 minsNathan Hemmingham

Ndiaye blazes over

The forward does really well to cut inside from the left and create an opening but he blazes over the bar

31 minsNathan Hemmingham

Corner United

James Husband slices Jayden Bogle's cross over his own crossbar. Really close to an own goal as United starting to dominate this one now

26 minsNathan Hemmingham

Bogle goes close to a second

Great play by Billy Sharp to hold the ball up and then run at goal, finding the run of Bogle on his outside.

The skipper slips in the right wing-back but his effort is just wide

20:40Nathan Hemmingham

Really good goal

Credit to Iliman Ndiaye for his role in the goal. He chased the ball back to the keeper and forced him to kick it into touch for a throw-in.

Bogle and Ndiaye then linked up really well from the resulting throw-in to find Berge in space for the goal.

A good goal all round for United

19 minsKEY EVENT

GOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLL

United lead through Sander Berge

Jayden Bogle finds Iliman Ndiaye after good play down the right and Ndiaye pulls the ball back for Berge to slot into the corner

12 mins Nathan Hemmingham

Ahmedhodzic denied

Great feet from McAtee on the edge of the box finds Anel Ahmedhodzic inside the area but his effort is deflected wide

United have come more into this match in the last few minutes

11 minsNathan Hemmingham

What a chance for Berge

A lovely free-kick from deep inside United's half from Norwood picks out Iliman Ndiaye. He leaves it for McAtee who gives a lovely return pass and Ndiaye slips in Berge who is clean through but his heavy touch takes it away from him inside the area

6 minsNathan Hemmingham

Off the crossbar

Ian Poveda come close to opening the scoring with a shot from distance that Foderingham pushes onto the bar and over

That was a close one

3 mins Nathan Hemmingham

Early pressure from the hosts

Dom Thompson looking to find Gary Madine in the area and the ball drops to Sonny Carey on the edge of the box but he drills an effort wide

20:16KEY EVENT

Kick-off

Kick-off and it's Blackpool who get us under way

20:13Nathan Hemmingham

Teams are out

The teams are out here at Bloomfield Road and kick-off is just moments away

19:53Nathan Hemmingham

Breaking news

Brazilian football legend Pele, one of the greatest ever players, has passed away at the age of 82.

Sad news this evening

Two legends of the game: Sheffield United's greatest ever player Tony Currie with Brazilian superstar Pele at Bramall Lane to mark the 150th anniversary of the world's oldest football club, Sheffield FC. (Image: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)