ON the eve of Middlesbrough’s trip to Bramall Lane, their former manager Chris Wilder talked about the importance of a team’s toughness and ability, regardless of how they performed, to win.

It could very easily have been read as a dig in Boro’s direction, for winning – or even drawing – ugly is something they have not been able to do anywhere near enough this season.

And Michael Carrick’s side once again proved Wilder right.

Even with the helping hand of referee Matthew Donohue, who awarded Boro the softest of penalties on the stroke of half-time, allowing Delano Burgorg to cancel out Jesurun Rak-Sakyi’s deserved Sheffield United opener, Carrick’s side couldn’t take advantage of the game’s momentum swing.

Instead, it was Sheffield United who scored the game’s decisive goal 15 minutes from time. And you won’t be surprised to read that watching back the replay won’t make pleasant viewing for Boro’s players. With one pass from inside his own half, Sydie Peck took out the whole Boro defence and substitute Ben Brereton-Diaz, who’d ran off Ryan Giles, calmly lofted the ball over Mark Travers and into the net.

Moments later, after another defensive mix-up between Giles and Hackney, Travers screamed in anger. Those in front will keep the loanee goalkeeper busy between now and the end of the season. Travers, though, was beaten far too easily by Anel Ahmedhodzic when the defender nodded in United’s third and final goal two minutes from time.

"I'd rather have a team that's mentally strong and tough and wants to win than a team that's milky and soft that plays beautiful football,” was what Wilder said this week.

“End of conversation. I'm a winning football manager."

His side have now won six of their last seven in the Championship. Boro, on the other hand, have now lost five from their last six in all competitions, are down to ninth and are now 23 points behind Wilder’s side. They're closer in points to bottom of the table Luton than the automatic promotion places.

“Largely, when you look at the performance levels, we feel like we should have got a few more points,” said Carrick on the eve of the trip to Bramall Lane.

It’s points that matter now for Boro.

In search of a much-needed boost, Carrick made two changes and handed two January recruits their full debuts, with  Samuel Iling-Junior and Kelechi Iheanacho replacing Morgan Whittaker and Marcus Forss.

Iliing-Junior was playing in the Champions League only a few weeks ago but was way off the pace. Three or four times in the opening quarter of an hour he conceded possession and was struggling to get to grips with Gustavo Hamer.

Hamer starred for Coventry City against Boro in the play-offs two season ago and again caused Carrick’s side problems early on. He’d have scored direct from a corner had Mark Travers not managed to scramble across his line and fist clear, before curling only just wide of the Boro keeper’s left post after popping it through Ayling’s legs with ease.

Boro’s defence was under pressure and needed more protection from the midfield. Rak-Sakyi coasted past Hayden Hackney unopposed before playing in Callum O’Hare, whose cut-back was hacked clear by Rav van den Berg.

Burgzorg looked bright for Boro but the Sheffield United box was occupied by only home goalkeeper Michael Cooper in the opening half an hour. Cooper was a spectator, untroubled by Boro until late in the first half.

The opening goal Sheffield United had been threatening came just after the half-hour mark and obviously involved some shocking Boro defending. Iling-Junior, woeful from the off, cheaply conceded possession inside his own half, allowing the Blades to counter. Boro still should have been able to deal with the situation and looked to have done when Giles beat Rak-Sakyi to the through ball, but the left-back then collided with Travers and the Blades winger tapped into an empty net.

It took 40 minutes for Boro to grab the attention of Cooper, Hackney driving through the Sheffield United midfield and forcing a good save out of the Sheffield United keeper.

Then, from nowhere, came the leveller from the spot. It looked to be six of one and half of the dozen of the other in the shirt pulling stakes between George Emundson and Jack Robinson but when Boro’s defender hit the deck, Donohue pointed to the spot. After swapping shirts, both defenders were both booked for the pushing and shoving that followed. Edmundson will have deemed it a worthy yellow. Cooper was then carded for his reaction and timewasting antics but he failed in his attempt to disturb Burgzorg, who kept his cool as Sheffield United lost theirs. Wilder waited for Dohohue at the tunnel at half-time after a whistle that Boro bizarrely won’t have wanted to hear despite being second best for 45 of the 49 minutes played in the first half.

The question was, would the sense of injustice fuel the home side or lead to self destruction? United were the brighter early in the second half but anger levels rose further when O’Hare went down in the box under the challenge of Ayling but Donohue waved away the penalty claims. Wilder and assistant Alan Knill then roared their displeasure at the fourth official after Giles avoided a yellow card for a blatant foul.

Carrick doesn’t often turn to his bench until at least the midway point of the second half but his first change came just 10 minutes after the break: Dan Barlaser replacing the ineffective Azaz. Boro were managing the second half well but were undone by Peck’s pass an Brereton-Diaz’s finish. Burgzorg had a chance to level but fired over before Ahmedhodzic sealed the points for the home side, who know how to win.