sport

Beattie at the double for Blades

Beattie: Hit a brace for United

A thunderous volley from Beattie in first-half injury time gave United the lead as he smashed home influential winger David Cotterill's flighted corner with the type of accuracy that once earned him an England call-up.

The timely goal gave the home side the momentum they needed and, although Marvin Elliott should have equalised moments earlier, the Blades doubled their lead when Liam Fontaine's attempted headed clearance only found the back of his own net in the 56th minute.

Beattie doubled his personal tally for the day when he headed home Cotterill's corner through a crowd of bodies to wrap up all three points.

Saturday's Championship match at Bramall Lane began in cagey fashion, with both teams reluctant to commit themselves forward, and Blades midfielder Stephen Quinn's speculative effort from distance was the only meaningful effort of the opening 15 minutes.

When Quinn darted in to meet Billy Sharp's pin-point 23rd-minute cross, goalkeeper Adrian Basso prevented the deadlock being broken.

The Blades have been revitalised after their 6-0 mauling at the hands of Arsenal's youngsters in the Carling Cup last month and have been unbeaten since.

City have started where they left off last term with the Robins' only league defeats of the season coming against promotion favourites Birmingham and Wolves.

United manager Kevin Blackwell made two changes to the side which won at Doncaster in midweek as Ugo Ehiogu and Cotterill came in for Chris Morgan and Greg Halford, while there was a place on the bench for new loan signing Brian Howard.

Beattie and Billy Sharp spearheaded the in-form home side's attack but they were afforded little space by the Robins' central defensive pairing of Louis Carey and Fontaine.

There were chances for both sides before the break as Carey smashed his volley inches over Paddy Kenny's bar before Cotterill embarked on a mazy run and delivered an incisive ball to the feet of Sharp, but his effort failed to trouble Basso.

But it was Beattie who provided the quality to spark the game into life as he met Cotterill's corner with power and athleticism to smash the ball beyond Basso and give his side the advantage at the break.

The second half commenced at a rapid pace and the visitors should have levelled as quickly as the 49th minute when veteran striker Dele Adebola's flick-on found midfielder Elliott six yards out, but he somehow conspired to lift his shot over the bar.

And Gary Johnson's men were made to pay for their profligacy when hapless Robins defender Fontaine could only look on in desperation as his defensive header following Quinn's corner looped over Basso and into the net to double the home side's lead in the 54th minute.

It was soon 3-0 as Blackwell's men established an unassailable lead in the 69th minute.

Once again it was Beattie who proved too hot to handle for the visitors as he battled to rise above the Robins defence and into the net.

Howard was introduced to the United fans for the first time in the 75th minute as United entered their comfort zone and proceeded to run down the clock.