Gillespie claims winner for Blades

12 April 2012

Sheffield United winger Keith Gillespie gave manager Neil Warnock a belated birthday present - a 2-1 win over Charlton at Bramall Lane.

Warnock turned 58 on Friday - Saturday also marked seven years in charge at Bramall Lane - but Andy Reid's first-half opener looked set to spoil the party.

Warnock watched his side waste countless chances, before captain Chris Morgan conjured up a 64th-minute equaliser and Gillespie volleyed home an 88th-minute stunner.

United should have been a goal up after just 35 seconds when Stephen Quinn rifled in a left-foot volley Scott Carson clawed round the post.

Against the run of play Charlton opened the scoring in the 17th minute. Reid seized control of the ball and surged towards the edge of the area before playing in Darren Ambrose to his left.

Ambrose dawdled over his shot, allowing Rob Kozluk to slide in, but he mistimed his tackle and although Paddy Kenny made a superb save to deny Ambrose, Reid was on hand to sidefoot home the rebound from five yards.

Warnock's side continued to pour forward. Hulse was agonisingly close in the 31st minute, juggling the ball just inside the area before hooking goalwards, but Carson tipped over.

In the second half Hulse and Derek Geary - the latter inexplicably directing a free header across the edge of the six-yard box with the goal gaping - missed chances.

It was left to Morgan to level matters. From Gillespie's outswinging corner the centre-back towered above his markers to power home a header for his first goal since the final day of last season.

A draw looked on the cards, but with just over two minutes remaining Djimi Traore's attempt at a clearance ballooned into the air to Gillespie, who thundered a 20-yard right-foot volley beyond Carson.

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