Bradshaw hat-trick gives Lions win over Sheff Utd

Tom Bradshaw scored a hat-trick to give play-off hopefuls Millwall a home win over second-placed Sheffield United in a pulsating game at The Den.

The hosts regained the lead just after the hour mark when Bradshaw guided in a header from Andreas Voglsammer’s cross from the left, before James McAtee emphatically netted an 82nd-minute leveller after smartly controlling Jayden Bogle’s cut-back.

An unmarked Bradshaw then grabbed the winner with two minutes left, tapping in another ball into the centre by Voglsammer to move Millwall up to fifth in the Championship table before the rest of Saturday’s fixtures.

Automatic promotion chasers United, meanwhile, have suffered back-to-back league defeats for the first time since October, giving third-placed Middlesbrough the chance to cut the seven-point gap to the Bramall Lane club.

Both the Lions and the Blades made three changes from their league defeats in midweek, which came against Coventry City and Boro respectively, and the hosts – who had enjoyed an extra day’s rest – made a high-tempo and direct start.

Bradshaw sent a shot straight at United goalkeeper Wes Foderingham in the fourth minute but made no mistake with a more difficult chance two minutes later, as his first-time effort from inside the box flashed past Foderingham at his near post.

The Lions pressed for a second as Oliver Burke had a shot palmed over, and Millwall were denied a potential penalty by an erroneous offside flag against Bradshaw, who had got to a Jake Cooper knock-down first before being clattered by the keeper.

Sheffield United eventually grew into the game and equalised from their first shot on target, with George Long unable to keep out Doyle’s whipped free-kick from around 28 yards out.

The visitors started the second half on top but Millwall went 2-1 up against the run of play when Zian Flemming burst forward and released Voglsammer, who crossed for Bradshaw to divert the ball inside the right-hand upright.

Millwall keeper Long made a fine double save to deny Chris Basham and then kept out a deflected Sander Berge cross, but substitute McAtee showed composure inside the six-yard box to drag the Blades level for a second time, with a finish into the roof of the net.

Yet the hosts grabbed all three points when the Sheffield United defence was undone by a long free-kick which was helped on to find Voglsammer on the right-hand side.

The German then teed up Bradshaw for the simplest of finishes, with the striker scoring his second hat-trick of the season to help extend Millwall’s unbeaten home run to 10 league games.