Sheffield Utd 2 Middlesbrough 1: Jagielka's edge gives Warnock first win
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Your support makes all the difference.Unbridled joy finally arrived for Sheffield United with a magnificent stoppage-time decider by their most popular player. Phil Jagielka, the scorer of an own goal at Arsenal last week, settled a rousing encounter with a 30-yarder that lifted his home-city club out of the bottom three, however briefly, with their first Premiership victory of this and any other season since 1994.
The loyal captain chested down Andrew Davies' clearance, took several strides and unleashed a shot that bounced and beat a suspect Mark Schwarzer. Jagielka became only the second player to score for the Blades in the Premiership and brought further gloom to Middlesbrough.
The England head coach, Steve McClaren, watched this third successive defeat and would have been interested to hear Gareth Southgate say: "In terms of response, I couldn't have asked more. If we play like that every week we'll have a good season."
Boro, with one goal in their previous five matches, should have been two up in 24 minutes. Aiyegbeni Yakubu advanced behind a square defence to hit the post after sidestepping Paddy Kenny, then Jonathan Woodgate was completely free from Andrew Taylor's centre, only to volley wide from seven yards.
Rob Hulse, whose bizarre covering created that opening, capitalised when Boro were caught short-handed in a 35th-minute counterattack, clipping in a left-foot shot for his third goal of the season after Mikele Leigertwood's lay-off. Equally inept defending helped Middlesbrough level just after half-time. Claude Davis could not regain his ground after launching a long free-kick which Emanuel Pogatetz cleared first-time to Yakubu who raced clear and finished confidently.
"It's a massive win - the monkey's off our back," said the Blades manager, Neil Warnock. "Our team spirit shone through."
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