Stead and Tonge move Blades clear

Sheffield United 2 Fulham 0

The much-needed victory brought the curtain down on a four-match winless streak for the Blades, and was only the second in eight games for manager Neil Warnock’s side.

Stead ended a 10-game barren run with his first goal for United in the 23rd minute following his recent move from Sunderland, while Tonge followed up five minutes later with his first for nine months.

The Blades dominated, and by the half-hour mark had deservedly carved out their first two-goal cushion of the season.

United opened the scoring on 23 minutes, sparked by Montgomery robbing Vincenzo Montella of the ball midway inside the visitors’ half.

That led to Montgomery and Stead combining superbly around the Fulham penalty area, allowing the latter to lash a left-foot shot into the roof of the net from seven yards.

Five minutes later United doubled their advantage, with Tonge on the scoresheet for the first time since the end of April, converting from close range after a Stephen Quinn cross to wrap up the points.

SHEFF UTD: Kenny, Geary, Jagielka, Lucketti, Armstrong, Kazim-Richards, Tonge, Montgomery, Stephen Quinn, Hulse, Stead.

FULHAM: Niemi, Rosenior, Knight, Pearce, Queudrue, Davies, Volz (Dempsey 82), Brown, Radzinski (Routledge 74), Montella (Helguson 33), McBride.

Ref: L Mason.

Portsmouth 0 Middlesbrough 0

MIDDLESBROUGH came away from Fratton Park with the point they needed to move into the top half of the Barclays Premiership after an ultimately uninspiring encounter at Fratton Park last night.

Despite a decent tempo in an end-to-end match on the south coast, clear-cut chances were few and far between.

Pompey’s Linvoy Primus twice came close to opening the scoring in the first half, firing a dipping half-volley narrowly over the bar, and then heading inches wide and into the side-netting from Matthew Taylor’s corner.

Yakubu twice strode clear for Boro’s best openings, only to be denied by Sol Campbell and Linvoy Primus tackles.

Lomana LuaLua, a 73rd-minute subsititute, curled inches wide late on as Portsmouth almost snatched a win.

But the game drifted to a stalemate that neither side appeared too unhappy with, as Middlesbrough earned their first-ever Premiership point at Fratton Park.

PORTSMOUTH: James, Johnson, Primus, Campbell, Traore (Douala 69), O’Neil, Lauren, Pedro Mendes, Taylor, Mwaruwari (LuaLua 73), Kanu (Cole 81).

MIDDLESBROUGH: Jones, Xavier, Woodgate, Pogatetz, Taylor, Morrison (Christie 81), Boateng, Cattermole, Arca, Downing, Yakubu (Euell 90).

Ref: D Gallagher.