The first leg at Aston Gate had resulted in a 1-0 victory to the Robins (sadly we don’t have a report from this match) – but as far as the Blades were concerned would go into this match without veteran striker Peter Withe – formerly a European Cup Winner with Aston Villa after he sustained an injury in the first match.
The United faithful knew that only a win at the Lane would see them through in this complicated Play-Off system which pitted one team against another Divisional side – City would field former Lane keeper Keith Waugh against them.
Hopes of retaining their four year status in the Second Division looked an uphill task when they went into half-time two goals down on aggregate; but a plucky second half display threatened to upset the pundits but failed to score the goals they required but made sure they went down fighting.
On 17 minutes Bristol City produced another counter-attack which in turn resulted in a goal – provided by Walsh who had been the scoring hero in the first leg. His cross was met by the acute diving head of former Sheffield Wednesday favourite Carl Shutt which flew past Graham Benstead in the United goal.
In this competition away goals counted double, United had to score three to go through, any less would send them crashing into Division Three, and after a terrible season would it have not been all they deserved?
For Bassett he would have the unwanted record of managing two relegated sides within the same season after Watford lost their top flight status.
Of the two sides the visitors looked the most promising to succeed with a two goal advantage behind them and playing more positive football as a result and almost increased their lead, Walsh’s 30 yard free-kick flew off the inside of the post.
Three minutes after the break United finally drew level. He and United hadn’t had the greatest first halves of their career but Colin Morris attacked from the off-set and immediately supplied a cross into the box without a result.
In his next attack he accepted a pass from Richard Cadette and his 15 yard shot left Waugh helpless in save to give United a lifeline but sadly no more goals were to come from either side which was enough for City and although they didn’t win promotion either after losing to Walsall in the next round, it ensured that both United and the Robins would play Third tier football for at least one more year.
Teams:
Sheffield United: G Benstead; C Powell, M Pike, S Webster, P Stancliffe, A Barnsley (sub: A Agana), C Morris, R Cadette, P Williams, W Downes, P Beagrie
Bristol City: K Waugh; A Llewellyn, R Newman, G Humphries, J Pender, S McClaren, R Milne, S Galliers, C Gordon (sub: J Jordan), A Walsh, C Shutt (sub: G Marshall).