Sheffield United 1-0 Middlesbrough: Blades cut gap at top of Championship

Sheffield United moved to within two points of the Championship's automatic promotion places with victory over 10-man Middlesbrough at Bramall Lane.

Boro's night got worse four minutes later when centre-back Daniel Ayala was sent off for two yellow cards in the space of seven minutes.

Substitute Britt Assombalonga had the best chance to bring Boro level, but Dean Henderson saved with his legs after the striker was through on goal.

• Relive Wednesday's Championship action

The win sees the third-placed Blades close in on second-placed Norwich, who lost 3-1 at Preston to slip from the summit of the second tier after Leeds beat Swansea City.

Both goalkeepers provided the highlights of an uneventful first half - Boro's Darren Randolph making a fantastic one-handed save from Mark Duffy's excellent shot after six minutes before Henderson tipped Jordan Hugill's effort past the post.

The visitors almost took the lead five minutes after the restart when George Friend's goal-bound header was cleared off the line by Enda Stevens.

Half-time substitute Gary Madine had two shouts for a penalty waved away shortly before Stearman's goal as Boro missed the chance to go above fifth-placed Bristol City.

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield:

"It was a good three points, a big win after what happened on Friday (surrendering a 3-0 lead at Aston Villa), so we're delighted.

"We had to shuffle the pack a little bit and it wasn't as fluid a performance as we'd have expected, but it was still an even game in the first half.

"There are different ways to win games of football, we try to play through teams and if not we have to go over the top and be a little bit more direct into the front men. We did that in the second half and I thought it worked a treat."

Middlesbrough manager Tony Pulis told BBC Radio Tees:

"I'm really disappointed with the goal. I think the linesman's decision for it to be a free-kick is shocking. If they're going to give a free-kick for that then the lad who scored the goal has pushed and jumped on Dael (Fry) and the referee's in a great position to give it and doesn't give it. It's a free-kick every minute of the day.

"It was such a big game tonight and we have a referee who's only refereed eight games in the Championship all season.

"You look around and you've got other referees who are refereeing Premier League games and dropping down - that's not the referee's fault, that's the person in charge and that can't be right. That's not good enough."