Scott Hogan and Jack O’Connell netted a goal in each half as Sheffield United comfortably beat the Blues 2-0 at Bramall Lane to all but secure their return to the Premier League after a 12-year hiatus. Hogan turned home the opener on 24 and O’Connell added the second in the 71st minute.

Town boss Paul Lambert made four changes with the Blues switching to a three-man backline - matching home side’s system - with Cole Skuse a surprise starter in between skipper Luke Chambers and Toto Nsiala.

Myles Kenlock was back in the side at left wing-back with Callum Elder dropping to the bench, while James Bree was on the right.

In midfield, Teddy Bishop joined Flynn Downes and Alan Judge with Trevoh Chalobah and Andre Dozzell among the subs.

Up front, Kayden Jackson came into the team, with Gwion Edwards missing from the XI that started against Swansea, alongside Will Keane.

Town were under the cosh from the off at a noisy, buoyant and expectant Bramall Lane with McGoldrick not too far away from getting his toe to a Basham cross from the right in only the third minute. Soon after, another ball in from the right evaded everyone in the penalty area.

The early pressure briefly subsided as Keane suffered what looked to be a recurrence of his hamstring injury in the eighth minute and, Town having no striker on the bench, was replaced by Chalobah, who came into the midfield with Judge moving to a free role off Jackson.

But the Blades dominance continued once the game restarted and in the 12th minute McGoldrick got away from Chambers on the Town right but Nsiala cut out his low cross towards Hogan. The former Blues frontman might well have taken the chance on himself.

The Blues finally began to see something of the ball as the quarter of an hour mark was reached and in the 16th minute Downes shot wide from distance.

Town began to become more confident in possession and in the 23rd minute Bishop broke into the area before hitting a shot which was blocked out for a throw.

But two minutes later, the Blades took the lead. Jack O’Connell was fed in on the left, leaving Bishop in his wake, crossed low and Hogan touched the ball across Dean Gerken at the near post and into the net.

Having got their noses in front the home side resumed their domination but didn’t seriously threaten again until the 33rd minute when skipper Ollie Norwood’s shot from the edge of the box was deflected over.

A minute later McGoldrick almost created a second for the Blades with a sublime pass which fed George Baldock in on goal as he broke into the area on the right but the former MK Dons man was crowded out and the Blues eventually forced the ball away from goal.

Blades attacks continued to come in waves with the Blues digging deep defensively to prevent the home side from adding to their lead, while play rarely moved to the other end of the field where Dean Henderson in goal was a virtual spectator.

On 40 Norwood scuffed an effort wide from the edge of the box after McGoldrick had nodded back a ball into the area.

Chalobah headed tamely wide for Town following a Judge freekick on the right in the 43rd minute but play quickly returned to the other end of the field. In two minutes of injury time Judge was booked for a foul.

The home side were applauded off at the break after a dominant display which deserved more than their single goal lead.

The distance between the teams in league position terms was evident throughout the half with the Blues never seriously threatening, only briefly able to pass the ball around and spending much of the period desperately hanging on at the back against a slick and confident home side.

The Blades went close to doubling their lead three minutes after the break, Norwood slamming a freekick from a very tight angle on the left against the far post.

Town continued to struggle to keep the ball out of their own half of the field and on 57 half of Bramall Lane thought McGoldrick had headed his side’s second of the afternoon from a Norwood cross from the right but the ball flew the wrong side of the post and nestled in the side-netting.

A minute later, Gerken saved from Hogan, then blocked the follow-up but with the flag having been raised.

On 62 Blades club captain and 24-goal top scorer Billy Sharp - a Town target in January 2015 and on a number of other occasions - took over from Hogan.

Sharp almost made an immediate impact after being sent away towards the penalty area as the Blades counter-attacked following a rare Blues foray forward. However, Skuse read the situation and got across to take the ball away from the Blades skipper.

Town were left without any out-and-out strikers on the field in the 68th minute when Jackson was replaced by Dozzell.

A minute later, defender John Egan should have added to the Blades’ lead but headed Norwood’s corner over the bar when it seemed easier to hit the target.

However, the home fans wouldn’t have to wait too long for the security of that second goal.

In the 71st minute Fleck sent over a corner and O’Connell, the man who supplied the first goal, headed home to send Bramall Lane into raptures, fans knowing that promotion to the Premier League was all but confirmed.

On 78 McGoldrick was replaced to a standing ovation from the home support but also the Town travelling fans. Gary Madine took over, the in the 85th minute, with the game effectively over to all intents and purposes, John Lundstram replaced Mark Duffy for the home team, whose fans had already begun their post-match celebrations.

As the clock ticked over to 89 Judge smashed Town’s first shot on target from 35 yards but Henderson helped it over the bar and the resultant corner came to nothing.

Two minutes of injury time were seen out without incident before referee Tim Robinson’s whistle triggered the biggest cheer of the afternoon, Blades fans knowing that barring ludicrous scorelines in the final games they will be playing Premier League football for the first time since 2006/07.

A handful of fans ran on the pitch to boos from their fellow supporters before the home players celebrated in a huddle on the pitch.

Meanwhile, the Town players trooped off following yet another defeat having been thoroughly outclassed by a hugely impressive Blades side.

The Blues were never able to impose themselves on the match and but for some desperate defending and occasionally less than clinical finishing would have been beaten more comprehensively.

Town’s nightmare 2018/19 campaign will finally end next Sunday when they host Leeds at Portman Road in a game which following tonight’s match will be a dead rubber with the Whites now effectively out of the running for the top two given their goal difference.

Sheffield United: Henderson, Basham, Egan, O’Connell, Baldock, Norwood (c), Fleck, Stevens, Duffy (Lundstram 85), McGoldrick (Madine 77), Hogan (Sharp 63). Unused: Dowell, Madine, Stearman, Moore, Cranie.

Town: Gerken, Bree, Chambers (c), Nsiala, Kenlock, Skuse, Bishop, Downes, Judge, Keane (Chalobah 8), Jackson (Dozzell 68). Unused: Elder, Emmanuel, Bialkowski, El Mizouni, Ndaba. Referee: Tim Robinson (West Sussex). Att: 30,140 (Town: 914).

Photo: Action Images

ITFCsince73 added 20:00 - Apr 27 Dolphinblue. Skuse, being excellent in 5 games out of 150, is simply not acceptable. Unbelievably to little, and very, very late.
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Cloddyseedbed added 20:00 - Apr 27 Shambles once again and humiliated on TV. Whole team just not up to it, low on confidence, passion, skill and commitment. Gerken at fault for the 2nd but so was the marking and challenges. Full backs not good enough. Chambers past it and I'm now thinking he could be disruptive next season if he thinks he should be 1st on the team sheet. Nsiala not too bad but has lapses. Chalabah pack his holiday case weeks ago, uninterested. Bishop brief glimpses. Skuse in what was effectively a back 5 steady. Downes not at it. Judge everywhere but not effective. Keane, well if he's given a contract I'm cancelling my season ticket. We won't afford to pay any players who can't play football every week in div 1. What a waste of wages, he need to be fed on what Sheff Utd are feeding McGoldrick on! McGoldrick should be sent to prison for fraud for what he got away with over the last 2 season's at Ipswich. Shows something is very, very wrong at Portman Road, be it low motivation, poor fitness regime or players allowed to get away with things they are not at other clubs. Ipswich seems a very comfortable club to play for, things need to change and dramatically for the better. Oh I nearly missed Jackson out, probably the worst game he's had in his life too! Div 2 here we come with a continued shoestring underfunded budget, injury prone or over the hill players and overpraised youngsters who just can't do despite all the praise heaped upon them.

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Kingfisher49 added 20:00 - Apr 27 Recruitment must start as early as after next weekend. And at the same time sell off or give away the group of players that are not good enough even for Division One. We certainly need strikers who can score goals and I feel someone like David Nugent who is a proven scorer would add something to the squad. We have a group of youngsters and have more to come through so I feel PL needs to add some experience to the group. And keep to around 20 players not 30 plus what we have used this season, that creates to many changes each week. There will be a number of players from clubs above Ipswich that will be available that are a better fit than a team of loan players. I believe PL is the right manager but will need ME to back him.

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Dolphinblue added 20:02 - Apr 27 So u admit he was excellent itfc1973......😋
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bluemike1969 added 20:03 - Apr 27 After another performance to forget and the usual keystone cop defending from our ever present captain calamity, next week, give some of the young kids a run out. What have we got to lose, absolutely nothing at all. I have never felt so embarrassed in my 45 years of following this club. Too many hangers on for my liking and Chambers and skuse are top of this list. Liabilities must be either off loaded or just kept for emergencies. I am stunned on how gutless and scared we are. Never have I felt this way before about this club and I hope I never will again. New captain is needed next season and it shouldn't be too difficult to find a replacement as no one could make a worse job of it than the last cretin to wear the band. One shot on target.....and from 30 yards out. Wow guys, you must be so proud of yourselves

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Wrightie added 20:06 - Apr 27 But dont worry, Lambert said we played alright. Nothing to worry about next year. He knows a good performance when hes sees one. Stagnation in League 1 here we come...
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masetheace added 20:09 - Apr 27 Where are all the Skuse haters . The man was magnificent again today , but Jackson must be worst forward to wear a blue shirt
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ITFCsince73 added 20:14 - Apr 27 Yes Dolphin. Comparing his performance today to his overall performances over past few years, yes he was indeed excellent. But to have a high earner, vice captain who turns up when it suits, hasn't been any good to us. Just because he's best mates with Chambo, dosent mean he can carry on like Chambo.....clueless.
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runningout added 20:15 - Apr 27 went to game and struggling to take anything encouraging out of it. Writing has been on the wall.. We've been well beat recently in the cup by League 1 and 2 teams, and they were not flukes. The players that left us preseason knew the problem ahead. I would like to know the truth concerning our captain and if this poo is true that he's unstoppable!! Sheff Utd are not far off being a very good team, but we didn't have anything to punish them. Massive changes needed quick

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Big_Steve added 20:20 - Apr 27 I don't know if it's just because I have just watched a very inept Town performance in definitely the worst season for Town (since the first relegation from the Premier League) by the worst Town squad probably in the history of the club but I'm failing to garner that optimism that some others have about next season. Yes get behind the team, yes make some noise and yes throw inflatables around but ITFC... throw us a freaking bone here! Give us something to shout about because on the evidence I've seen there's funk all to get excited for. Even the 'promising' young lads who've got into the team haven't torn up any trees and are gonna have to become men and get a lot better very fast in League One. And the worst thing is, it's the least we deserve because year after year if you sell your best players and replace them with sub-standard ones, guess what, eventually you're going to fail. For all the talk about Marcus Evans saving the club by buying us before we folded and the millions he's put in since, it's his fault for the millions he's taken out in loan repayments, authorising the sale of our best players and the lack of investment in better players that has brought Ipswich Town to it's knees. Lambert can tell us how great the fans are all he likes. We know we are. What I want is someone to show us the the quality we're going to be bringing in to make us better or prove that the players we have can be coached and improve considerably. Yours, a depressed supporter.

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runaround added 20:21 - Apr 27 That was a 2-0 thrashing! We were second best throughout & the players look leggy nervous and shell shocked. Chambers was awful making a number of unforced errors & seemed to be in the wrong place most of the time. Judge also was poor. The one bright spot was Skuse in the middle of the back 3 & that could well be his position going forward. Putting our only 2 fit strikers both in the starting line up then losing both to injury, one after 5 minutes sums up our season! This season cannot end soon enough & some of the players definitely need it to end to get it out of their system as it's obvious they are in a bit of a state on the pitch. Things can be better next season but it won't be easy & some players need a massive improvement in their performances & need to take a good look at themselves

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BeattiesBackPocket added 20:22 - Apr 27 Wilder is 5 million up in player sales and buys however what you need to realise is that he has a bigger wage structure than ours which last season was comparable to burton Albion. We don't need to spend millions however we do need to compete in wages to be competitive. That's all us fans ask really. Until Evans loosens the purse strings in when wages dept we will probably finish mid table next season as much as I hate to say. We could have Pep in charge and still finish where we are now.

3

chepstowblue added 20:22 - Apr 27 We proved today that we are not only a league1 side but a fairly poor league1 side. Relegation is as likely as promotion next season. Lacking pace,physicality,technique,and all but Bishop and Judge have any balance and ability in possession. I just don't know what Downes does. Has he modelled himself on Luke Hyam? Skuse may just have proved himself as the best centre half at the club.Even my 82yr old mum text me with half an hr left to say "im sorry love we just cant watch any more of that, are they always so bad"?! Next season is a massive wake up call for this club(even by this seasons standards).If Leeds win tomorrow they'll only need to beat us by 12 to overhaul Sheffield and their disrespectful premature celebrations. God that was poor today.

3

howdonblue added 20:33 - Apr 27 Doseofreality You've hit the nail on the head ! Evans hang your head in shame and sell if possible please
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richardpaul added 20:37 - Apr 27 I did not watch the game and to be truthful forgot it was being played until 75 minutes in when it was 2-0 I have read the report here and the posts from many disgruntled people I'll repeat what I have said before without a change of manager and a clear out of much deadwood Ipswich will grace the lower half of Division 1 for a few seasons to come and may even struggle to keep out of the next lower division Sad times indeed but somewhere there must be a saviour who will take the club give it a good shake and start it on the road to success again I can only hope The last game is academic as Leeds have only pride to play for having not a chance of automatic promotion so Lambert should tell the players to enjoy themselves and give the supporters something to give them hope for next season

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blue86 added 20:40 - Apr 27 we lack quality big time, and it showed in that performance. another thing i will say is.... paul lambert i really want you to succeed and turn us around, however the time for talking is over! actions speak louder than words mate! roll on next season. coyb
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dirtydingusmagee added 20:41 - Apr 27 well said Big Steve,
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Smithy added 20:47 - Apr 27 Why is this Marcus??
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londontractorboy57 added 20:51 - Apr 27 Bluearmy84 Totally agree unfortunately the numbskulls live in a dream world, Where everything is perfect they couldn't see reality if it smacked them in the face,pity we can't concede next sunday's game on the grounds that we are protecting the climate by not wasting all that fossil fuel getting to Portman Rd
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runningout added 21:00 - Apr 27 I meant is our captain ‘undroppable' not ‘unstoppable'
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BeethorpeAndy added 21:06 - Apr 27 Ipswich till I die,I'm Ipswich till I die, I know I am,I'm sure I am,I'm Ipswich till I die!!!!!!! And I live 10 miles from fu-king Norwich!!!! I'm not happy!! But just wait to see what Lambert gets together and get behind the team! At least we got the best fanzone! COYB.
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bluearmy84 added 21:10 - Apr 27 london tractor boy! yeah unfortunately it was so clear to see and all my mates at work who support other teams were like wtf is wrong. champioship such a hard league to win games in, as this season goes to prove. before you can play silky football you have to earn the right to play and we just a million miles off
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ITFCsince73 added 21:10 - Apr 27 Yes Londontractor, I must say I've really missed hoofball this season, and the sleeps I miss as well. I always used to nod off after about the 50th minute at games. I do miss those 40 minute snoozes...not sure my neck has recovered yet, but it's getting there.
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barrystedmunds added 21:15 - Apr 27 Relegated and the ignominy of finishing bottom with a meagre four wins all season. Really doesn't get any worse than that. Oh wait. yes it does. Probably the worst set of players ever to pull on the shirt. I look at Wigan, Rotherham and Reading; teams that have fought tooth and nail to avoid the drop, and compare that to our shower of sh^*e. Thankfully Sky has spared our blushes by only featuring us fleetingly, but imagine what the collective footballing community must make of us. I still scour the papers to see if Hurst has popped up somewhere, because for me, he is the chief architect behind this, accepting that ME is culpable, and should never be let near another football club again. PL has a MASSIVE job on his hands, of that we are all agreed, just hope he is the right man for it.

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BeattiesBackPocket added 21:19 - Apr 27 DoseOfReality 👏🏻
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