Blades and QPR play out goalless draw

Sheffield United duo Danny Ings and Harrison Burrow cannot hide their disappointment at the final whistle

Sheffield United were held at home by Queens Park Rangers to stretch their winless run to four matches.

Both sides were in dire need of a win after losing their three previous games, but neither could find a way through the opposition's defence in a game which had plenty of chances.

Sam McCallum twice went closest to scoring for Chris Wilder's Blades, having one header cleared off the line by Jimmy Dunne and another brilliantly saved by keeper Ben Hamer, while United's Sydie Peck hit the post late in the game.

For Rangers, top scorer Rumarn Burrell came closest to breaking the deadlock, but he saw one shot well blocked by Japhet Tanganga and another beaten away by goalkeeper Michael Cooper.

The South Yorkshire side badly needed a win, as the so-called new-manager bounce they got after the re-appointment of Wilder in September, after which they enjoyed a run of three wins in five games, has fizzled out.

Defeats against Preston, Derby and Coventry left them adrift of safety, but a home game against QPR, who themselves went into the match on a terrible run of four defeats in their previous five games, offered the chance of relief.

After a soporifically uneventful opening half-hour, Wilder's side roused itself and pressed hard for an opener as a Danny Ings diving header forced a fine save from Hamer and then the ex-Liverpool striker teed up both Jairo Riedewald and McCallum, the first being blocked and the second bringing Dunne's vital goal-line clearance.

Tyrese Campbell shot narrowly wide as United finished the half strongly, but it was the R's who came on strong after the break, as Karamoko Dembele broke down the right and cut inside to curl a shot inches wide of the far post.

That heralded a spell of pressure from the visitors and Tanganga had to time his lunging block perfectly to deny Burrell, and then the striker had another effort beaten away by Cooper.

Having weathered that period, United ended the game strongest, boosted by the arrival of substitute Tom Davies, who sent Campbell in on goal, only for Dunne to produce a fine saving tackle.

Another substitute, Chiedozie Ogbene, then picked out McCallum at the far post and his header was back across Hamer, only for the keeper to dive full length and turn it away.

In one final flurry of attacking, Peck managed to bundle his way through the defence and get off a shot which took a touch off a defender and bounced off the post.

'We're giving everything' - reaction

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield:

"I'm a bit frustrated, like I imagine 27,000 of our supporters are.

"We've done more than enough [to win]. We needed the clean sheet after the goals we've conceded and the manner of the goals.

"The team are giving everything and the supporters recognised that. We're obviously lacking a little bit of belief and confidence with the position we're in and that equates to taking that little bit too long to make that decision.

"They're a dangerous team with the two wide players and the pace at the top of the pitch, especially if you over-commit, so we had to get that balance right, which we did.

"We've gone for a win, and the stats will show that, and if you can't win make sure you don't get beat."

Queens Park Rangers head coach Julien Stephan told BBC Radio London:

"With the ball and without the ball we did a very good game. We kept our structure defensively for the last 25 minutes but lost our ability to create something in possession.

"Sometimes this can happen, especially when you play away and have opponents who want to push.

"We had two good saves from Ben Hamer in the game, which was very important, but I want to congratulate all the team because mentally it was not very easy after the three defeats in a row.

"The reaction was a strong reaction against a good team with a lot of good players. It's not easy to do that in this stadium.

"If we look at the first 60 minutes it's probably two points lost, but if I watch the last 25 minutes, probably we won a point."