The Blades continued in their impressive start to the campaign, comprehensively beating Bury at Bramall Lane.

Danny Wilson made two changes to the eleven that started at Yeovil Town a week ago. The injured stand-in captain Montgomery being replaced by McAllister. Mendez-Laing was chosen ahead of Flynn, who dropped to the bench and Michael Doyle kept the captain’s armband for the second game in a row.

The match eventually got under way a few minutes late, the referee appearing unhappy with one of the sprinklers midway through the half closest to the Bramall Lane end.

It was to be a slow start in terms of chances, with the Blades having a lot of possession early on, but not creating anything clear cut. The nearest we came to seeing a shot on target from either side in the opening exchanges was a Chris Porter effort which was wide of the visitors goal.

Stephen Quinn’s corners looked to be the most likely outlet, with Neil Collins and Chris Porter both heading just over the bar attacking dangerous deliveries from the Irishman.

Michael Doyle had a speculative effort, but like Porter before him, it was dragged wide with the visiting goalkeeper Belford content to watch the ball pass his left hand post.

For their effort, Bury hadn’t tested Simonsen but he had to be alert to the potential danger shortly after as the visitors flashed a ball across the six-yard bar, failing to get a touch on the cross.

Bury were struggling to keep the Blades out of their half and after earlier robbing the visitors of possession, Mendez-Laing skipped into the area only to put his shot straight at the goalkeeper when he probably should have scored.

The Blades were starting to play some neat stuff and a good, fast, passing move minutes later was a great example of the renewed freedom Danny Wilson has encouraged. Sadly the play petered out with Porter just under hitting his touch to Laing.

United were slowly turning up the pressure and Eastham was the first to go in the referee’s book with a crude tackle from behind on McAllister as the midfielder burst through towards goal. The challenge was the second late one in the passage of play, with the visitors struggling at times to cope with the Blades movement and direct running.

With it looking more likely that Harry Maguire hit one of his trademark drives towards goal, Stephen Quinn took the resulting free-kick drawing a great save from Belford, with the ball heading for the top corner.

Bury had a couple of efforts, with the Wednesday loanee Coke firing off target with a couple of speculative shots from distance and Simonsen was given his first bit of work of the afternoon with Picken firing straight at the United keeper.

It was to be the next Blades attack that opened the scoring, with Cresswell flicking the ball to Quinn who’s crossfield ball in turn found Mendez-Laing. The winger’s shot was parried and both Porter and Quinn had shots blocked by the panicing Bury rearguard before eventually Porter poked home from around 3 yards.

At half time the Blades would have been the happier of the two sides, but once again went in knowing that they could do with turning up the heat in the second half to ensure victory.

Within minutes of the interval, the Bramall Lane crowd were on their feet again as the Blades scored with their first attack of the half.

Skipper Michael Doyle played the ball down the right to Mendez-Laing, who after a few of the step-overs he’s clearly fond of, sent the ball goal wards. This clearly took the visiting keeper by surprise and equally as surprised were the majority of the seventeen thousand plus attendance as the ball ended up in the back of the net!

The Blades seemed to once again step up a gear and attacked with an increased sense of purpose and urgency, and after another weak Giles Coke effort, the Blades were celebrating again.

The increasingly impressive Michael Doyle skipped past an opponent and played Porter in behind the visitors defence, the striker fired an effort on target which Belford could only palm away to Matty Lowton who’s familiar advanced run paid off with a goal.

With the game looking in the bag, Danny Wilson introduced Ryan Flynn who replaced Mendez-Laing before shortly after the tiring Chris Porter came off for Erik Tønne.

The visitors weren’t far away with a free-kick which landed on top of the Blades goal and then it was Stephen Quinn’s turn to receive a standing ovation from the crowd, making way for Lee Williamson.

The Blades continued to attack in numbers and with around 5 minutes remaining substitute Erik Tønne capitalised as Williamson’s cross wasn’t cleared, creatively hooking the ball into the corner of the net.

The result puts the Blades level on goal difference with the MK Dons at the top of the table, with the Blades happily holding the second automatic promotion spot due to goals scored.

The overriding positives have to be another clean sheet for a consistant defence and that the Blades still look like they could move up another gear.

Sheffield United 4 – 0 Bury

Sheffield United: Simonsen, Lowton, Jean-Francois, Mendez-Laing (Flynn 73), Doyle, Collins, Cresswell, Maguire, McAllister, Porter (Tønne 81), Quinn (Williamson 83).
Unused: Long, Parrino.

Bury: Belford, Picken, Skarz, Sweeney, Worrall (Haworth 79), Bishop, M. Jones, Coke, Sodje, Eastham, Byrne (Harrad 70).
Unused: Cregg, Branagan, A. Jones.

Attendance: 17956

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