David McGoldrick picked the perfect moment to end a six-game goal drought, netting Sheffield United’s winner with three minutes to go after struggling Preston had come from 2-0 to equalise in Saturday’s Championship clash.
By scoring with 10 minutes left, Callum Robinson sparked a late Preston comeback but McGoldrick had the last word, firing home after being teed up by Enda Stevens.
Afterwards, Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder saluted McGoldrick, insisting he never doubted the 30-year-old attacker.
Wilder said: “He’s been getting himself into the right positions and people can see what an intelligent footballer he is, what a talented footballer he is.
“He was really disappointed last Saturday (a 1-0 defeat at Bristol City) because there were some really good chances for him.
“But’s he’s in the six-yard box, he’s putting himself in the right positions and, as I’ve always reminded, we need people to be getting in there.”
Saturday was a mixed day for John O’Shea as a late red card for a professional foul tainted an accomplished Championship debut for Reading.
However, the points were long since in the bag when O’Shea was dismissed, the Royals cruising to a 3-0 win over Hull.
Marc Wilson was also sent for an early bath, the defender seeing red for a professional foul in the first half of Bolton’s goalless draw at Ipswich.
Life after Mick McCarthy has been bleak for Ipswich and the sight of Jon Walters limping off with a calf injury seven minutes after his introduction as a second-half sub only added to the club’s misery.
“All we can do is keep our fingers crossed it’s not too bad and he’s not out for too long,” Ipswich boss Paul Hurst stated.
In League One, a tap-in from Simon Cox gave Southend a 1-0 win over Fleetwood Town.
There were two other Irish scorers in the division but both efforts came in losing causes, Callum Reilly in Gillingham’s 4-2 home defeat to Peterborough and Graham Carey in Plymouth’s 2-1 loss at Charlton.
In League Two, Pierce Sweeney netted Exeter’s first goal in their 3-1 win over Cheltenham Town.