Patrick Bamford scored a second-half brace as Sheffield United claimed a 2-0 Championship victory over Watford on an afternoon when both sides had it confirmed that they were safe from relegation this season. The striker's sharpness in front of goal made the difference and lifted Chris Wilder's side above their opponents in the bright spring sunshine at Vicarage Road.
Defeats for Oxford and Leicester in the early kick-offs confirmed the Blades' Championship status for another campaign, one which will not be accompanied by Premier League income levels or parachute payments for the first time in seven seasons. As the teams walked onto the pitch, a play-off place was still mathematically possible for Watford, although that required the unlikeliest combination of results, both theirs and those of others.
With Bamford taking his league tally to 11 for the campaign, both sides finished the day on 57 points and are destined for mid-table finishes with three matches remaining. Watford, who have failed to win any of their past five matches, dropped below Sheffield United to 13th in a hugely tight table, with just a single point separating 10th to 16th.
An End-of-Season Feel