Sheffield United 2-3 Preston North End: Liam Lindsay at the double as Aston Villa loan man scores another

Preston North End ran out 3-2 winners at Sheffield United on Saturday afternoon.

Liam Lindsay scored twice in the opening 20 minutes - both from corners - to give PNE a comfortable lead at the break. Gus Hamer got one back for Sheffield United from the penalty spot before Lewis Dobbin scored North End’s third. Patrick Bamford reduced the margins to just one goal on 82 minutes. The hosts piled on the pressure in the final stages but North End held on to secure victory.

It was Lindsay who gave PNE the lead on five minutes. Jordan Thompson swung in a corner which United struggled to deal with and the Scot directed his header into the ground, bouncing in the top left corner. The Blades searched for an equaliser straight away; a through ball from Tahith Chong allowed Callum O’Hare to take a touch and shoot from six yards, but the number 10’s effort cleared the crossbar.

North End looked for a second and put together a lovely team move: Lewis Dobbin found Andrew Moran down the right and the ball was fizzed across the box towards Thierry Small, but his scuffed effort at the back stick was held by Adam Davies.

Not long after, Lindsay made it two. This time Devine whipped in a corner from the left and the Scotsman, completely unmarked, applied the killer touch with a glanced header into the back of the net.

Midfielder Sydie Peck fired wide from outside the box for the hosts but PNE remained the more threatening side. Set pieces were proving a real issue for the Blades and they nearly conceded a third when Jordan Thompson had a go after a corner was only half-cleared, but his effort was charged down.

Sheffield United looked fired up in the opening stages of the second half but efforts from O’Hare and Chong were well blocked by Lindsay and Valentin. Preston then had a glorious chance to make it three when Moran chipped the ball up to Daniel Jebbison, who showed a calm head to work room and tee up the on-rushing Dobbin, whose effort was clawed away expertly by Davies.

The hosts were then awarded a penalty on 70 minutes after Andrija Vukcevic was judged to have brought down Femi Seriki in the box - replays showed their was minimal contact. Nonetheless, Hamer stepped up and slotted his spot-kick into the middle of the goal.

That deficit wasn’t halved for long. A fantastic ball through the centre of the pitch from Devine sent Dobbin clean through on goal. The loan star surged forward, rounded Davies and rolled the ball home on 76 minutes, right in front of the 1,000 travelling fans.

The Blades did not go away, mind, and scored their second not long after. O’Hare drilled a low ball across the face of goal and there was Bamford to tap home. Nervy closing stages followed as both sides had big opportunities to score. Peck curled an inviting cross towards Bamford with four minutes remaining, but he could only prod wide.

North End then went desperately close on another transition. Jebbison did well down the left and once again teed up Dobbin, who took the ball in his stride but placed his side-footed effort wide of the far corner. It was then hands on heads for the home side, as substitute Ki-Jana Hoever nodded over at the back post, from a yard or two out. Hamer’s swerving effort - the last kick of the game - then flashed inches wide to huge gasps from the home crowd.

Attendance: 27,115 Preston North End starting XI: Iversen; Storey, Lindsay (c), Vuckevic (Gibson 85’), Valentin (Potts 63’), Devine, Thompson, Small (Brady 63’), Moran, Dobbin, Jebbison (Smith 90’) Unused subs: Walton, Cornell; Nolan, Nelson, Lukovic.