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Sheffield United Manager Praises 'Top' Mentality After Late Win

Originally posted on Sheff United Way | By Jake Staniland | Last updated Feb 15, 2026 7:02 AM ET

Sheffield United left it late to snatch all three points against Portsmouth at Fratton Park on Saturday afternoon, as a dramatic 90th-minute winner sealed a 1-0 victory for the Blades.

It was the hosts who fashioned the first opportunity of the afternoon. Ebou Adams rose highest inside the penalty area but could only guide his header over the bar, setting the tone for a lively opening spell in which Portsmouth looked sharp and purposeful.

United responded swiftly and almost broke the deadlock through Gustavo Hamer. The midfielder struck a low effort from a tight angle that beat the goalkeeper but cannoned off the outside of the post, much to the relief of the home support.

Chances remained at a premium, but the contest sprang back into life shortly after the interval. The home side came within a whisker of the opener six minutes after the restart when a cleverly worked corner routine saw Segecic drill a low pass to Swift on the edge of the area. His curling strike drifted agonisingly wide of the upright, with the Blades scrambling to regain their composure.

As the game wore on, it became increasingly scrappy. United gradually grew into the contest, showing greater control and composure in possession, though clear-cut openings were few and far between. With the clock ticking down, the match appeared destined for a stalemate.

But the decisive moment arrived in the 90th minute. Tyrese Campbell showed tremendous determination to keep the ball alive on the left flank, squeezing a cross towards the back post. Arriving at precisely the right time, Andre Brooks applied the finishing touch from close range to spark wild celebrations among the travelling support.

Chris Wilder Reflects on Late Win For the Blades

After the final whistle, speaking to SUTV, Blades boss Chris Wilder singled out his side’s mentality as the defining factor behind the result.

“Mentality, maybe over control and us imposing ourselves,” he said. “They were better at what they did in the first half than what we did. They never put us to bed, and we grew into the game in the second half.

“We always thought at half-time, we talked about it, we can do a little bit better. I’m not sure they could do any better than that. We knew the game would settle down a little bit and it did.

“Maybe I would have took a point with ten minutes to go and not been negative because this is a difficult place to come. To get a winner is brilliant for everybody, especially for our travelling fans.

“The performance wasn’t a great performance today, but the mentality was top. It allowed us to get something from the game. You just saw the attitude towards the end, when the seven minutes went up. Obviously, it always goes to eight and a half, nine. They saw it out. Coops didn’t really have to make any huge saves.

“They’ll say that they’ve missed some opportunities in the first half, but there was more pressure than create. From us, as I said, we had to dig a little bit deeper. It’s just Championship football at times, right the way through. I said it all along, 46 games. There’s some games you play really well, and you win. Some games where you dig in and get a result, and some games where you’re a little bit off of it. Maybe we’re a little bit off of it today, but to get something from these games is what picking up points is all about in the Championship.”

It was a hard-earned victory, and United’s first win at Fratton Park since 2003. Sheffield United are now just six points off the play-off spots.

This article first appeared on Sheff United Way and was syndicated with permission.

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