Sheffield United must learn to win ugly and build early momentum

MARK DUFFY knows a thing or two about winning promotion from League One.

Last season, the winger, on loan from Birmingham City, missed just one game as Burton Albion upset all the odds to finish as runners-up.

Duffy netted eight times in those 45 outings and such was his consistent level of performance that he was named in the division’s team of the year, as voted for by the Professional Footballers’ Association.

His capture by Chris Wilder, therefore, was something of a coup and he showed in Tuesday night’s otherwise disappointing EFL Cup exit to Crewe Alexandra just how much of a threat he can be. Not that the 30-year-old saw this as any form of consolation, admitting that he felt the manner in which the Blades crashed out of the competition meant the players had “let the gaffer down”.

“It is always disappointing to lose,” said Duffy about United’s fifth exit at the first-round stage in eight years.

“We had more than enough chances, especially in the first half, to maybe put two or three games to bed.

“But we didn’t and then paid the price. The gaffer said it was two sloppy goals, balls into the box that were just not dealt with. Ryan Lowe then did what he does, he is a real poacher. But we should have been out of sight.

“It was similar to Bolton (a 1-0 loss on the opening day) in that we started on the front foot. In this one, though, we got the goal and should have kept the hammer down.

“At any level, if you don’t take your chances and you give the opposition a chance they can punish you. That is what happens.”

Leon Clarke, on his home debut, had put the Blades ahead inside six minutes but the summer signing from Bury was then guilty of wasting several other chances.

He was not alone, however, with several others also doing the same and this profligacy allowed Crewe to send the game into extra-time courtesy of a last-minute leveller from Lowe.

The former Sheffield Wednesday man then added a second in the additional 30 minutes to leave the Blades needing to bounce back ahead of Rochdale’s visit to Bramall Lane this weekend.

Duffy added: “The gaffer put the same side out as Saturday, he wanted to get things rolling. But we let him down.

“He is massively disappointed, as we all are. We need to get things going and quickly. We are playing well so we can’t lose the belief.

“But the gaffer said about Saturday that he hates nothing more than people saying to him, ‘Unlucky – you played well but lost’. We don’t want to be that team.

“We would rather play badly and win. We just need to get things rolling with that win and build a bit of momentum.”

The one consolation for United on an otherwise disappointing night was the amount of chances that they created.

Duffy was a big part in that, his vision and movement meaning the Alexandra defence were unable to rest.

The 30-year-old was pleased for fellow new boy Clarke getting off the mark but admits the whole team has to do better in front of goal.

“Leon is a big threat,” added the Liverpudlian. “Every time he has played in this league, he has probably scored 15 goals plus. We have two of them up there that can score.

“He had a few chances against Crewe and got that goal. Billy (Sharp) came close as well, while I had a good chance and so did a few others. We just have to put the ball into the net.”