League One leaders Sheffield United squandered a two-goal lead as Rochdale twice came from behind to earn a 3-3 draw at Spotland. The visitors were ahead in the fifth minute when Dale goalkeeper Ben Wilson was penalised for picking up the ball from an apparent pass back by Keith Keane. James Hanson touched the set-piece into the path of Mark Duffy and he curled an emphatic finish wide of Wilson.
Daniel Lafferty then rifled a stunning 25-yarder into the top corner of Wilson's goal in the 11th minute to double the Blades' advantage. The home side gained a foothold in the game in the 20th minute when Matt Lund's measured cross from the right bounced beyond Nathaniel Mendez-Laing but found Steven Davies at the back post. Davies cleverly improvised to guide the ball into the net with his chest.
Rochdale were on level terms in the 47th minute. Mendez-Laing's cross from the right flew just over the head of Davies but Andy Cannon was on to it in a flash on the left of the area, sending a volleyed delivery back into the mix and there was Lund to clip the ball into the roof of the net. Billy Sharp restored the Blades' lead in the 69th minute when he volleyed home Duffy's delivery from the left.
But Dale levelled again when Reuben Noble-Lazarus' cross found its way to Mendez-Laing and he rounded two opponents before slipping a neat finish past Moore.
Harry Chapman is heading back to Sheffield United after recovering from an ankle injury, although this midweek's clash may come too soon. The midfielder returned to parent club Middlesbrough after sustaining the injury in November and is set to play for United's under-23 side against Bolton tonight..
If Manchester United defender Joe Riley is to feature again for the Blades it will have to be next season after his loan was cut short by a dislocated shoulder. Boss Chris Wilder could named an unchanged side for the third successive match after seeing his team move five points clear at the top of the table with victory over promotion rivals Bolton last weekend.
OXFORD UNITED VS. SHEFFIELD UNITED
Oxford United's hopes of reaching the top six hit a stumbling block on Saturday when they lost at home to Bristol Rovers. This had ended a back to back double victories on the road which had seen the U's keep clean sheets in the wins at Charlton (1-0) and Chesterfield (4-0). The result left Oxford tenth in the league and 9 points behind sixth placed Millwall.
A physically stronger Bristol Rovers put a dent in Oxford's play-off hopes with a 2-0 win at the Kassam Stadium to leapfrog them in the table - and lifted their own hopes of a top-six finish. Ollie Clarke struck a fine opening goal in the 17th minute, cutting in from the right edge of the penalty area past Joe Skarz and then curling a shot just inside the far post from 16 yards. Oxford's in-form striker Conor McAleny was unlucky to see his shot on the turn from Marvin Johnson's right-wing cross smack against the post.
And on 36 minutes, the Pirates doubled their lead with Stuart Sinclair capitalising on some poor defending to fire low past Simon Eastwood for his first goal of the season. Clarke had sounded a warning in only the second minute with a fierce 20-yard drive that Eastwood managed to parry to his left. McAleny also went close for Oxford with a free-kick just before the break that Joe Lumley pushed over.
The U's, so short of players because of injuries they did not have a striker on the bench, made more of a fist of it in the second half. Lumley saved with his feet from McAleny, but Rovers finished comfortable winners in the end.
Oxford could see Rob Hall return to the side against Sheffield United. He was unavailable for the 3-2 win at Luton as they booked their place in the Checkatrade Trophy Final (for the second year running), as well as the defeat to Rovers. Meanwhile former Sheffield Wednesday forward Chris Maguire could miss out after he limped off in the 27th minute at Kenilworth Road.
facebook.com/bladesmad - @Blades_Mad1889