Town boss Roy Keane felt his side rode their luck a touch as they picked up their third away league win of the season at Sheffield United. The Blues manager was pleased with the early goal in the 2-1 victory but was disappointed that his side didn’t push on from there.

Keane said: “A good start but a pity we couldn’t build on it. The first goal is always important in any game.

"It was a tough game, a really tough game and we were under a lot of pressure, a bit like here last year, but we managed to hold on and grind out a result without being spectacular.

“But you have to take those results, you can’t try and come and overplay away from home. There were opportunities for us to be more clinical and finish the game off, but credit Sheffield United they put us under a lot of pressure.”

Keane admitted that his side had their fortunate moments: “I think we rode our luck at times today, such as when the boy had the shot and it hit the post and there were some good balls across the box. I think we rode our luck a bit, but we all need that in life and in football.

“Sheffield United have had one or two defeats like we had a few weeks ago and sometimes you just don’t get the break of the ball, which is why football can be so frustrating.”

The Town boss was pleased to see Tamás Priskin net for the fifth time this season: “It was a real poacher’s goal, in the six-yard box. We like them. If you look at all the top strikers in the world they score from six yards out.

“The second one was a good finish from Gareth, who scored here as well last year. It was a good, tough 2-1 victory. We’ll take that.”

Keane says that in addition to Tom Eastman, who suffered a hip problem in the second half, Grant Leadbitter was feeling his hamstring at the end, while David Norris is a big doubt for Tuesday’s home game against Derby with the ankle injury he suffered against Millwall.

Sheffield United boss Gary Speed was unhappy with his side’s defending: “It was disappointing and frustrating as two sloppy goals have cost us. We do a lot of work on set pieces, we knew they’ve got a long throw and we worked on it yesterday.

“We weren’t doing our jobs. We put people in positions and gave them jobs to do and they didn’t do them on the first goal.

“With the form we’re in at the moment, if you go a goal behind you have a mountain to climb.They’ve got themselves back into it through their good play and workrate, which we know they’ll always give, but then threw it away with another soft goal.

“That’s the disappointing thing, we’ve let in two soft goals which have cost us and in the current situation it’s very difficult to get back.”

Speed felt Town took their chances when they came rather than riding their luck as Keane had suggested: “I think when things happen for you you’ve got to take advantage of them and they did that.”

Photo: Action Images

_Mhs_ added 20:36 - Nov 7 good result at a tricky place to go to, and three very winnable games coming up. I dont want to jump ahead too much and get my hopes up but 7 or 9 points after the three games would put us in a very good position, maybe even cementing our position in the top 6. And with the scum after that, we can be confident of a result. Looking forward to derby, hope keane starts with the same team.

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MickMillsTash added 21:16 - Nov 7 I am really happy that we won, our defence is solid and gives us a good base for any game. We are not though really creating many chances and if it was not for some unbelievably hap hazard defending by Sheff Utd this may well have been an entirely different game. I went to the Watford and Reading games where it was a similar story- created very little but unfortunatley were not gifted 2 goals in either game. I thought Leadbetter was excellent on Saturday he worked very hard, i agree with previous comments on Colback- last season he was our player of the season playing from center mid and from what i can remember actually made runs from midfield beyond our front 2. Colback should paly centre mid. I am not certain that Livermore can hold a centre mid position - I do not think he tracks back well and looks weak in the tackle- maybe we could play him wide where he will get more space to play in a Jermaine Wright sort of role. Playing Townshend on Saturday I think would have been too ambituous and left us too open away from home. All in all a 6 out 10 performance - but a 6 of 10 every week may well be good enough in this division to get us into and keep us in the top 6. Apart from QPR no one has looked very good yet.

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Garv added 21:39 - Nov 7 That's what I worry about 'mickmillstash', the fact we don't create chances. Don't agree about livermoore though, think he's our best central midfielder.
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Ipswich24 added 21:44 - Nov 7 We need more attacking flair Townsend has to play tues I think he is a great talent creates danger whenever on the ball start him tuesday Keano
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adamisablue added 01:39 - Nov 8 with leadbitter and chuck doubtfull, think you may get your wish! not sure im likeing this flat back four business that we seem to have going on at the mo, tricky players like tarbut of qpr could expploit this and eliminates the attacking overlap (football tactics for dummies chapter one) but everything seems to be falling into place, if a bit slower than first expected. there is definatly more of the same to come from priskin, now he's settled into the club and we can create more chances for him to convert. tricky games tuesday but highly winable (any game is in this league!) COYB!

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del45 added 14:52 - Nov 8 Big test against Derby will give as some idea how this team will fair against one of the top sides which i think will be in the top 6 this season. People please get off Priskin's back cannot be that bad if picked for his country.
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