Sheffield United 1-0 Hull City: Blades top of Championship after narrow win

David McGoldrick's second-half penalty sent Sheffield United top of the Championship and ensured Hull City drop to the bottom of the table.

McGoldrick scored his fifth goal of the season after defender Jack O'Connell was pulled down in the area midway through the second half.

Chances were limited in a cagey match at Bramall Lane, but the visitors twice went close after the break with Nouha Dicko and Markus Henriksen forcing good saves from Dean Henderson.

But Chris Wilder's Blades saw the game out to complete a fourth straight victory.

Back-to-back defeats leave Nigel Adkins' Tigers a point adrift at the foot of the table.

It was a match that struggled to come alive before the interval. Within a minute of the restart, Hull went close through Dicko's near-post effort and he had the ball in the net seconds later only for it to be ruled offside.

Despite that strong second-half start from the visitors, Sheffield United found a way to win and will now head into the international break as league leaders and the division's in-form team.

Since losing their opening two league matches of the season, the Blades have won eight out of 10.

Hull's slide to the bottom has seen them pick up just one point from five games.

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield:

"It's fabulous to be top of the league.

"That was a tough old afternoon for us and I said all along that this match would be the most difficult of all three games this week.

"I thought after quite a bit of travelling for two away games that it may be a struggle for us.

"It was, but even so I think it was the right result."

Hull City manager Nigel Adkins told BBC Radio Humberside:

"We don't believe it was a penalty, if the referee gives that then he has to give one or two penalties in the Sheffield United area for similar things.

"I've spoken to the referee, but it's effectively cost us the game because we did really well today and nullified a lot of their threats.

"I know the big frustration is that we haven't got any points this week but we played first, second and third in the league and the players are grafting.

"We've got players coming back from injury and there's a spirit about the team that shows they want to do well."