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Bristol City host Sheffield United in first leg of Championship play-off semi-final (20: 00 BST) Burrows pen puts Blades ahead after Dickie sent off for foul as last man Bristol City finished sixth, 22 points behind third-placed Blades Robins in Championship play-offs for first time since 2008 Sheff Utd are in play-offs for 10th time but have never been promoted via them Coventry v Sunderland in other play-off first leg on Friday (20: 00) Get Involved #bbcefl Glenn Speller HT: Bristol City 0-1 Sheff Utd This video can not be played On Friday we will have the first leg of the other Championship play-off semi-final as Coventry City host Sunderland (20: 00 BST kick-off) Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris and Coventry's Frank Lampard have been speaking to BBC local radio. .. This video can not be played Get involved #bbcefl Did you think the referee was right to send off Rob Dickie as well as give the spot kick? Thumbs up for yes, thumbs down for no. HT: Bristol City 0-1 Sheff Utd Carl Asaba Former Sheffield United striker on BBC Radio Sheffield It's a shame that we haven't scored two or three because I think we've deserved that but we have to make the man advantage count now and take that. Bristol City 0-1 Sheff Utd The end to that half came from nowhere. Rob Dickie sent off in injury time and Harrison Burrows slotting in the penalty for Sheffield United. We'll be talking about that decision from referee Oliver Langford for a while - did Dickie get the ball when challenging Kieffer Moore? It's the second time Dickie has been dismissed against the Blades this season as well. Tyrese Campbell has also had a goal disallowed for offside and seen Max O'Leary deny him when through one-on-one. For the home side Joe Williams has thundered a 25-yarder against the bar. Disappointingly for him Williams has since had to be replaced by George Earthy because of an ankle injury. Need a breather - time for a cuppa and an orange segment. Bristol City 0-1 Sheff Utd Ed Hadwin Commentator on BBC Radio Bristol A game that didn't have a lot in it but a big moment from the referee might be a big one in this tie. City looking a little disjointed at the moment. Bristol City 0-1 Sheff Utd Carl Asaba Former Sheffield United striker on BBC Radio Sheffield Really good penalty, hard and low into the corner. Harrison Burrows really handled the pressure. Now they've got to hammer home the advantage and get a couple more goals. Harrison Burrows pen Harrison Burrows tucks home the penalty, sending Max O'Leary the wrong way. It's a huge moment. Bristol City 0-0 Sheff Utd Kieffer Moore is hauled down by Bristol City's Rob Dickie and the defender gets a straight red card from referee Oliver Langford who points to the spot. Wow! Bristol City 0-0 Sheff Utd We will have a minimum of five minutes of time added on at the end of this intriguing first period. Bristol City 0-0 Sheff Utd Carl Asaba Former Sheffield United striker on BBC Radio Sheffield When we get the ball down and play then we open Bristol City up, we have players with quality to do so. We've seen them do it a few times so they just need to keep on doing it. Kieffer Moore is working really hard. Bristol City 0-0 Sheff Utd Jack Robinson launches another long throw into the box for Sheffield United - it's knocked down and Max O'Leary has to grab the ball before an attacker can get the touch. Robinson throws it further than I can kick it. Bristol City 0-0 Sheff Utd Yep, poor Joe Williams - he's desperately disappointed but he can't carry on. On comes George Earthy for the home side. Williams looks inconsolable. Bristol City 0-0 Sheff Utd Adam Oxley BBC Radio Sheffield It's been tight. If you're expecting free flowing then it hasn't been that. Bristol City 0-0 Sheff Utd Rhian Brewster and Tyrese Campbell link up again but it doesn't end with a shot as Bristol City get men back. Joe Williams is down again for the home side - it's an ankle injury - his night may be done. Bristol City 0-0 Sheff Utd Problems for Bristol City's Joe Williams - he needs treatment. The home side have a replacement ready but Williams says he wants to get back on. One to watch. Bristol City 0-0 Sheff Utd Gary Owers Former Sunderland & Bristol City midfielder on BBC Radio Bristol Bristol City are probably controlling the game to some degree but when Sheffield United do come forward they do with some purpose and look the most dangerous. Bristol City 0-0 Sheff Utd Don't forget Bristol City are unbeaten in their past eight games at home with six victories - it's their best run since April 2023 and helped to get them over the line and into the play-offs. Sheffield United have won five of their past seven trips to Ashton Gate and have had a goal disallowed and forced Max O'Leary into a very good save to deny Tyrese Campbell. Joe Williams has struck the bar for City. Suddenly we only have 12 minutes to go until the break - it's flown by. Bristol City 0-0 Sheff Utd Oh, Rhian Brewster plays in Tyrese Campbell but Max O'Leary comes up with a big save with his legs to deny the Blades top scorer. Given his form, you'd be forgiven for expecting that to end up in the back of the net from Campbell. Bristol City 0-0 Sheff Utd Carl Asaba Former Sheffield United striker on BBC Radio Sheffield It's a little frustrating because the main thing about this Sheffield United team is the quality but they're playing the long ball. They need to get the midfield players together then get passes together. We've got good technical players, open them up and let the quality players give us moments of quality. Bristol City have grown into the game and played some great patterns. Bristol City 0-0 Sheff Utd Good tracking back by Anis Mehmeti prevents Rhian Brewster striding towards goal and getting in a shot. The home side have started to dominate possession but Sheffield United continue to look a threat when they get forward. It's very watchable. Last Updated 8th May 2025 at 20: 51 Please Note: All times UK. Tables are subject to change. The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be made. Manager: Liam Manning Formation: 3 - 4 - 2 - 1 Manager: Chris Wilder Formation: 4 - 4 - 2 Manager: Liam Manning Formation: 3 - 4 - 2 - 1 Manager: Chris Wilder Formation: 4 - 4 - 2 Championship All competitions All competitions All competitions Bristol City are winless across their last seven games against Sheffield United in all competitions (D2 L5), since a 3-2 victory at Bramall Lane in the Championship in March 2019. Sheffield United have won five of their last seven away league games against Bristol City (D1 L1), with each of their last three victories coming via a one-goal margin. Bristol City are unbeaten across their last eight home league games (W6 D2), their longest run at Ashton Gate in a single season since a nine-match stint between January and April 2023. In the 2024-25 Championship season, only Leeds United (58), Burnley (51) and Sheffield United (49) accumulated more points on home soil than the Robins (46 – W13 D7 L3). Sheffield United will be competing in the play-offs in the second tier for the sixth time, failing to earn promotion on each of the previous five occasions. In that time, they’ve won just one of their five away semi-final matches (D3 L1), though it did come in their last such match – a 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground in May 2022, before being eliminated on penalties. Bristol City will be playing in their sixth EFL play-off campaign this season and their first since 2007-08 in the Championship. On that occasion, the Robins reached Wembley but lost 1-0 to Hull City; they’ve never earned promotion via the play-offs on any of the previous five occasions. This season, Sheffield United became just the third side in the history of the second tier to win as many as 90 points yet still fail to get automatically promoted, after only Sunderland in 1997-98 and Leeds United last season. Only four players in the Championship this season have created more chances than Bristol City’s Max Bird (75), while ranking fifth overall in the competition for expected assists (8. 65). In the Championship this season, only Burnley’s James Trafford (29) recorded more clean sheets among goalkeepers than Sheffield United’s Michael Cooper (21), while preventing the fifth-most goals among goalkeepers with 2, 000+ minutes in the competition (6. 7 – 38. 7 expected goals on target conceded and 32 goals conceded excluding own goals). Copyright © 2025 BBC. 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