Blades blunt Charlton challenge

Sheffield Utd 2 Charlton 1:  Sheffield United winger Keith Gillespie deservedly salvaged boss Neil Warnock's duel celebrations as Charlton's agonising wait for an away victory continued.

Warnock turned 58 yesterday and today marked seven years in charge at Bramall Lane, but Andy Reid's first-half opener looked set to spoil the party.

Warnock watched his side waste countless chances before captain Chris Morgan  conjured up a 64th-minute equaliser and Gillespie volleyed home an 88th-minute stunner to give the Blades a second win in five days.

After beating Watford 1-0 on Tuesday, Warnock's men are now out and clear of the relegation zone, leaving Charlton still rooted to the foot of the table and stretching their miserable away run in the Premiership to 22 games without a win.

In truth their display did not merit a point and they can count themselves fortunate they were not trounced as United initially struggled in front of goal.

United should have been a goal up after just 35 seconds when Stephen Quinn, on his Premiership debut with elder brother Alan injured, rifled in a left-foot volley Scott Carson clawed round the post.

Against the run of play Charlton opened the scoring as United fell asleep in the 17th minute.

Irish international Reid seized control of the ball and surged towards the edge of the area before playing in a wide-open Darren Ambrose to his left.

Ambrose dawdled over his shot, allowing Rob Kozluk to slide in, but he mis-timed his tackle and gave the striker the opportunity to score.

Although Paddy Kenny made a superb save to deny Ambrose, Reid was on hand to sidefoot home the rebound from five yards, leaving Kenny to launch a broadside at his defenders.

Undeterred, Warnock's side continued to pour forward, making the Addicks look every inch a bottom-of-the-table team.

After the break Morgan, the United skipper, levelled matters.

From Gillespie's outswinging corner, centre-back Morgan towered above his markers to power home a header for his first goal since the final day of last season.

A draw then looked on the cards but with just over two minutes remaining Djimi Traore's attempt at a clearance ballooned into the air to Gillespie who thundered a 20- yard right-foot volley beyond Carson.