Full Time After Extra Time This is a live match. Extra Time Half Time

Bristol City vs Sheffield United. Sky Bet Championship Play-Offs Semi-Final.

8:00pm, Thursday 8th May 2025.

Ashton Gate StadiumAttendance25,652.

Sheffield United 3

H Burrows (48th minute pen)
A Brooks (73rd minute)
C O'Hare (79th minute)

Bristol City 0-3 Sheffield United: Liam Manning brands Rob Dickie red card a 'disgrace' as Blades take control of play-off tie

Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship play-off semi-final first leg between Bristol City and Sheffield United at Ashton Gate on Thursday; Rob Dickie's red card left Robins with 10 players as Blades took control of tie

Friday 9 May 2025 15:15, UK

Sheffield United took control of their Championship play-off semi-final after a 3-0 first-leg win at 10-player Bristol City.

A Harrison Burrows penalty after Rob Dickie was, in the eyes of some, controversially sent off for bringing down Kieffer Moore in the box put the Blades on track on the stroke of half-time at Ashton Gate.

Substitutes Andre Brooks and Callum O'Hare then scored in the second half to put them in complete control and plant one big foot into the final at Wembley.

The defining moment: Dickie sent off and Burrows converts

All of a sudden as half-time approached, Kieffer Moore was in behind and Rob Dickie was struggling in his wake. The big centre-back wrapped his legs around the striker and brought him down. Contact with the ball was made, but after Moore was on the floor.

"It's a really good bit of centre-forward play," Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder told Sky Sports after the game. "He's stuck himself in there, put himself in a position and been dragged down. It's an obvious penalty from my point of view."

The referee pulled out the red card and Dickie had to walk. Incidentally, he was also sent off in this exact fixture back in November. Burrows stepped up and put the penalty away.

The letter of the law...

The FA's Law 12 states: "Where a player commits an offence against an opponent within their own penalty area which denies an opponent an obvious goal-scoring opportunity and the referee awards a penalty kick, the offender is cautioned if the offence was an attempt to play the ball or a challenge for the ball; in all other circumstances (e.g. holding, pulling, pushing, no possibility to play the ball etc.), the offending player must be sent off."

Manning questions referee after 'disgrace' of a decision

Bristol City boss Liam Manning on Sky Sports Football:

"It's quite clear what changed the game, ultimately.

"It's a disgrace. We even called Kevin Friend [at PGMOL] this week to raise our concerns [about referee Oliver Langford]. If you look, we had him at Oxford and he got a decision wrong. When Luton played Coventry, he got another decision wrong.

"You just know it's going to happen and that's the frustration. Double jeopardy we got told. Rob makes a clear attempt to play the ball. Worst case, he gives a penalty.

"We'll go into Monday night believing. We've performed well there this season and in the first 40 minutes we were good tonight.

"There have been numerous comebacks in the history of sport and we'll be ready to go on Monday."

Pundits disagree with Manning: It was a red

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Liam Manning was critical of the referee for sending Rob Dickie off during Bristol City’s 3-0 defeat to Sheffield Utd and described it as a shocking decision, but Jobi McAnuff and Troy Denney disagreed and felt it was the correct call.

Jobi McAnuff on Sky Sports Football:

"I've got to disagree [with Manning]. And without the context of those decisions that he made in a previous game, maybe there's some frustrations there, but just on tonight's decision, it's a red card.

"There's no two ways about it. In terms of the attempt to play the ball, that comes after the pull-down, which it was 100 per cent. You could see there was no intent to play the ball in that first action.

"I'm surprised. I've got to say, Liam's normally very measured, very calm. He's clearly upset but I don't think he's got anywhere to go with that actual decision tonight."

Troy Deeney on Sky Sports Football:

"I agree. I've been there. You're frustrated and you say things in the heat of the moment, but to call it a disgrace... I don't feel anyone around us thought that was anything other than a penalty and a sending off.

"I understand it's changed the momentum of a big game for him and his team, however Rob Dickie clearly is in the wrong.

"He gets two arms on the back, pulls Kieffer Moore back, then he kicks the ball. I would really be interested if that was the other end and that was on Nahki Wells. If it was given a penalty and if it was given sending off, whether that would be a disgrace in his eyes? I don't think it would be."

Should Sheff Utd have taken the lead earlier?

Chris Wilder may have felt some justice was served after Sheffield United had an opener controversially disallowed.

Tyrese Campbell had appeared to put them ahead early on but the goal was ruled out after Sydie Peck was deemed to be interfering from an offside position.

Don Goodman on Sky Sports Football:

"They clearly think, if Sydie Peck isn't there, then Jason Knight hooks that away. It's a complicated decision but I think they've got that right."

The Blades then tighten their grip

Sheffield United then took complete control of the tie in the second half.

Wilder rung the changes and two of his substitutes struck, with Andre Brooks and then Callum O'Hare surely taking the tie beyond Bristol City.

Troy Deeney on Sky Sports Football:

"Once they brought those players on the emphasis was to shift it quicker. As soon as you start getting moved around with 10 players you're in trouble.

"Chris Wilder got everything right. It was all spot on."

Wilder: I respect game too much to think tie is over

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder:

"It was the game I expected it to be, with them coming out of the traps and vociferous, passionate home support.

"The talking point will be the sending off and, after that, I thought we were really professional in our approach. We scored goals at the right time in the second half, made a couple of substitutions that gave us energy and impetus. Of course we're delighted but I think you've seen by my reaction at the end, there's a job to be done.

"We were straight off the pitch because the game isn't done. That was our approach. It was a professional performance and now it's up to them to come at us.

"I've been in the game long enough and I respect the game too much - and the opponents - to know that we're going to need another big effort to go through on Monday night. Hopefully we can get the atmosphere at Bramall Lane similar to what tonight was."