Jayden Bogle scored a brace as Sheffield United kept the pressure on Championship leaders Burnley with a 3-1 victory over Stoke.
Iliman Ndiaye opened the scoring and Bogle doubled the hosts’ lead, while Nick Powell’s goal at the end of the first half reduced the arrears before Bogle’s second at the death secured the points.
Blades boss Paul Heckingbottom made five changes to his starting line-up with Wes Foderingham, Anel Ahmedhodzic, Sander Berge, Max Lowe and Billy Sharp all restored to the starting line-up.
Stoke skipper Lewis Baker tried a shot in the opening few minutes of the match which was straight at goalkeeper Foderingham.
The hosts took an early lead when Lowe sent over a low cross from the left and Ndiaye beat Jack Bonham with a first-time shot from inside the area.
United’s James McAtee then put an effort just over, while – at the other end – Foderingham had to be alert to turn the ball over when Ben Wilmot’s attempted cross went goalwards.
Stoke threatened again when Powell traded passes with Baker before firing in a low shot which was kept out by Foderingham.
Bogle made it 2-0 just after the half-hour mark as he won possession, advanced into the area and beating Bonham with a shot which took a deflection off Phil Jagielka.
Powell pulled a goal back in first-half stoppage-time when his ball into the area evaded everyone and ended up in the back of the net.
The home side made a change shortly before the hour-mark when McAtee made way for Tommy Doyle. Ndiaye was replaced later by Daniel Jebbison.
Berge spurned a great chance to restore the Blades’ two-goal lead when he fired over from inside the area after Jebbison back-heeled the ball into his path.
There was a double substitution for the visitors when Harry Clarke and Tyrese Campbell came on in place of Wilmot and Powell.
Brown had a chance to equalise when he got on the end of a cross from Campbell, but his header was saved by Foderingham.
Stoke boss Alex Neil made a further change in the closing stages with Dwight Gayle replacing Jordan Thompson.
Bogle made it 3-1 in the final minute of the match, applying a neat near-post finish from Doyle’s low cross.
It was not a convincing performance from Heckingbottom’s men, but they secured the three points.
