Ross Stewart nets second-half brace as Southampton edge sorry Sheffield United

Ross Stewart’s second-half double sealed Southampton a 2-1 comeback win at Bramall Lane and consigned Sheffield United to a seventh Sky Bet Championship defeat of the season.

Stewart cancelled out Tyrese Campbell’s first-half opener for the Blades early in the second period and arrowed a stunning winner into the top corner seven minutes later to clinch the Saints their first league win on the road this campaign.

Saints striker Adam Armstrong missed a penalty in first-half stoppage-time and Blades boss Chris Wilder was sent off by referee Adam Herczeg for kicking a ball into the stand moments after the half-time whistle.

Blades fans were also incensed by Herczeg’s controversial decision to rule out Sydie Peck’s last-minute header.

Two Championship heavyweights at the wrong end of the table produced an entertaining game with chances aplenty at either end, but while Saints climbed from 19th up to 13th, Wilder’s side remain rooted to the bottom.

Southampton made a lively start and Stewart went close to dispossessing Michael Cooper for a tap-in after the Blades goalkeeper had fumbled a back-pass.

The hosts did not threaten until the 26th minute when Campbell’s effort was blocked, but they took the lead two minutes later with their first shot on target.

Campbell picked the ball up on the right edge of the penalty area and skipped around Joshua Quarshie before curling an angled left-footed shot into the far corner for his second goal of the season.

Cooper kept the home side in front with a flying save to keep out Stewart’s header as both sides continued to create openings.

Two Stewart headers forced saves from Cooper before the Blades were given a huge let-off in time added on before the break.

Cooper was adjudged to have brought down Stewart in the box as the Saints forward raced on to a long ball over the top, but Armstrong blazed his spot-kick off target.

Wilder was sent off immediately after the half-time whistle after kicking a ball into the crowd – which hit a home supporter – and after going over to apologise, the Blades boss was shown a straight red card.

The visitors equalised in the 51st minute when Armstrong’s header from Ryan Manning’s corner struck the crossbar and Stewart drilled the rebound low into the bottom corner.

Stewart then turned the game on its head with a brilliant second goal seven minutes later, the Scotland forward turning away from two defenders 25 yards out and unleashing a superb shot into Cooper’s top right-hand corner.

The Blades pressed for an equaliser in the closing stages and Hamer’s shot was well saved by Alex McCarthy before Peck’s header from a corner in the 90th minute was harshly ruled out by Herczeg for a foul on the goalkeeper.