Blades sever Charlton´s survival lifeline

AFP - 21 April 2007 19:42

Jonathan Stead, seen here in action in February 2007, scored a potentially priceless equaliser as Sheffield United denied Charlton a victory which would have lifted them out of the Premiership´s relegation zone at the expense of their guests.

LONDON (AFP) - Jonathan Stead scored a potentially priceless equaliser as Sheffield United denied Charlton a victory which would have lifted them out of the Premiership's relegation zone at the expense of their guests.

Stead's superb solo goal 20 minutes from time cancelled out a deflected shot from Talal El-Karkouri and the Blades held out for a vital 1-1 draw.

The point leaves Charlton third from bottom on 33 points with United occupying the final survival spot two points above them.

The home team received a timely boost before kick-off when top-scorer Darren Bent was passed fit to play after a thigh injury.

United boss Neil Warnock brought back Stead, Keith Gillespie and Chris Armstrong after they were rested for the Blades' midweek defeat at Manchester United.

The visitors were the first team to pose an attacking threat when Keith Gillespie whipped in a dangerous cross which striker Luton Shelton could only reach with the aid of his hand, earning the Jamaican a booking.

The home team were stung into action and after a flurry of corners Michael Tonge narrowly avoided heading into his own net from a dangerous Dennis Rommedahl cross.

Danish international Rommedahl continued to look like the Addicks' best source of a breakthrough and it almost arrived in the 14th minute when his floated cross was headed narrowly wide by Darren Ambrose.

England international Bent was next to go close when he volleyed a yard wide from an Ambrose corner.

Set-piece specialist El-Karkouri came even closer for the home side two minutes later when his 30-yard free-kick was acrobatically tipped over the bar by Paddy Kenny.

The game entered a scrappy period with a series of free-kicks and mis-placed passes hampering both teams' efforts to grasp the initative.

United's best chance of the opening half arrived in the 33rd minute when a Gillespie header from Stead's cross was tipped around the post by a diving Scott Carson.

Moroccan international El-Karkouri finally broke the deadlock for the home team on the hour mark.

The defender took control of the ball 35-yards out from goal before hitting a speculative drive which took a deflection off Matthew Kilgallon to leave goalkeeper Kenny helpless.

But the home fans' joy only lasted eleven minutes as the Blades responded with a well-taken equaliser from Stead.

The ex-Blackburn man received the ball from Nick Montgomery before surging to the edge of the penalty area and hammering an unstopable shot into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal.

It was the striker's second strike within a week following his effort in last weekend's 3-0 win over West Ham.

The home supporters became more and more anxious as their team tried to push for the vital goal but were restricted to long-range efforts.

Indeed it was United who looked the more likely to score a second after mounting a series of counter-attacks.

The crowd were buoyed by the indication of five minutes injury time but the Addicks created no more chances and now know their team are fast running out of games to rescue themselves.