Burnley's play-off hopes were dealt a major blow at Bramall Lane as young
striker Phil Jagielka fired his first senior goals for the club.
Home-grown talent Jagielka gave Neil Warnock's side a 19th-minute lead, firing
home from the edge of the penalty area and Laurent D'Jaffo gave the scoreline a more
realistic look when he rifled home a 20-yarder of his own two minutes after the
break.
The 19-year-old Jagielka then capped a fine performance by firing home low
into the bottom corner in the closing stages and Stan Ternent's side can have no
complaints.
This result will have been doubly satisfying for Warnock. His side has now
defeated two promotion-chasers in the space of four days - Millwall were
accounted for 3-2 on Tuesday.
But more to the point the Blades boss has received criticism from various
quarters following last Saturday's fiasco against West Brom and he was the
subject of some less-than-charitable comments from Ternent before this
encounter.
United thoroughly deserved their win having dominating for much of the match.
D'Jaffo saw his early goalbound header well caught by Beresford and Paul
Peschisolido was on target with two shots, the first being tipped around the
post by Beresford after the Canadian latched onto Paul Gascoigne's poor
backpass.
Beresford was alert again when 19-year-old Jagielka powered in another header
and it was not until the half-hour mark when Burnley first threatened, David
Johnson bringing the best out of Blades keeper Simon Tracey from 20 yards and
then seeing his left-foot curler go narrowly wide.
Just before the break Jean-Phillipe Javary steered his free header from Shane
Nicholson's corner wide of the post but United should have had more to show for
their dominance.
D'Jaffo was rewarded two minutes after the interval however, crashing home
from 20 yards into the top corner.
Burnley were at last stung into action. Tracey did well to hold onto another
long-range effort from Johnson, Gareth Taylor headed narrowly over the crossbar
from Gascoigne's corner and then saw his 18-yard shot brilliantly saved by the
home keeper.
Then a rasping drive from Gascoigne was blocked by D'Jaffo as the Clarets
enjoyed their best spell.
But United still threatened to extend their lead, with Gus Uhlenbeek forcing
two fine saves in as many minutes from Beresford with long-range drives.
Gascoigne made way for Andy Payton with the clock ticking down and Tracey
denied Johnson twice again as Burnley tried in vain to salvage a point, this
time from close range before Gareth Taylor hit the woodwork from a Mitchell
Thomas cross.
But it was too little too late for Ternent's side and in the 88th minute
Jagielka made it a day to remember, firing home his second into the bottom
corner from Peter Ndlovu's cross.
Teams:
Sheff Utd: Tracey, Uhlenbeek, Page, Curle, Nicholson, Ndlovu, Javary (Smith 89), Jagielka, Tonge (Montgomery 61), D'Jaffo, Peschisolido (Ford 79).
Subs Not Used: Sandford, de Vogt.
Booked: Peschisolido, Uhlenbeek, Page.
Goals: Jagielka 19, D'Jaffo 47, Jagielka 88.
Burnley: Beresford, West, Cox (Alan Moore 15), Thomas, Briscoe, Ian Moore (Weller 45), Gascoigne (Payton 70), Ball, Grant, Taylor, Johnson.
Subs Not Used: Blake, Michopoulos.
Booked: West.
Att: 19,003
Ref: G Laws (Whitley Bay).
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