Sheffield United kept up the pressure on Burnley and Leeds as they beat Cardiff 2-0 at Bramall Lane on Good Friday.
Goals from Gustavo Hamer and Ben Brereton Diaz kept the Blades in the hunt for automatic promotion from the Sky Bet Championship, while the Bluebirds remain in deep relegation trouble.
The visitors had their first sight of goal when captain Callum O’Dowda’s cross was met by Yakou Meite but his header was comfortably claimed by Micheal Cooper.
City goalkeeper Ethan Horvath had to be alert to race off his line and gather Hamer’s clipped through ball.
A good spell of Cardiff pressure saw shots by Will Alves, Yousef Salech and Meite all blocked by Blades defenders. At the other end, Calum Chambers made a great recovery tackle to deny Jesurun Rak-Sakyi a shot on goal.
Sheffield United took the lead in the 33rd minute when Tyrese Campbell’s shot was deflected into the path of Hamer and he cleverly poked the ball past Horvath.
The midfielder nearly had his second of the game moments later as his curling free-kick from distance struck an upright.
The Bluebirds had a great chance to get away a shot at goal when they broke with numbers but Alves took too long on the ball and Hamza Choudhury cleared the danger in the last chance of the half.
The hosts had the first chance after the break as Horvath first made a great save from Harrison Burrows’ close-range effort. Chris Willick’s searching cross was not far away from Meite but Cooper was able to comfortably claim.
Cardiff did have a couple of sights at goal as well as Will Fish flashed one over the bar from David Turnbull’s dangerous corner. Then, Meite rose highest to meet Salech’s cross but his header was straight at Cooper.
United always looked dangerous on the break and Chambers once again defended well to deny Blades striker Kieffer Moore.
Sheffield United made the points safe in the 87th minute in a similar fashion to the first goal. Moore’s shot deflected into the path of Brereton Diaz and he was on hand to double the Blades’ advantage.
The victory saw United move to within two points of Leeds before their late fixture, while Cardiff slip to 23rd and are a point from safety.
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