Sheffield United boss Kevin Blackwell paid tribute to his side after watching them ease their relegation fears with a 2-1 win over Coventry.United, who climb to 14th in the table, edged closer to the 50-point target Blackwell believes will guarantee Championship status next terms thanks to strikes from Billy Sharp and Gary Speed before Elliott Ward's late penalty set up a dramatic finish.
And Blackwell reserved special praise for Sharp who scored his first league goal since completing an emotional return to Bramall Lane from Scunthorpe last summer.
"All credit to Billy," Blackwell said. "He's a Blade through and through and so I can only imagine the pressure he was under.
"He's worked his socks off and even when things haven't been going right for him he's shown great bravery by continually getting in the box.
"Hopefully that will be the first of many for him.
"I can't tell you how delighted I am for him."
Blackwell added: "We've not won at home for a while now and we had to break that hoodoo.
"But that was more like it tonight and it should do wonders for everyone's confidence."
All three goals came during an eventful second-half.
Sharp opened United's account in the 69th minute when he converted David Cotterill's cross and seven minutes later Gary Speed doubled the hosts' advantage.
Stephen Hughes was adjudged to have fouled Sharp in the penalty area and although Andy Marshall saved Speed's initial attempt from the spot, the former Wales international smashed the ball home on the rebound.
United were firmly in the driving seat but five minutes later the outcome was plunged into doubt when referee Trevor Kettle handed Coventry a lifeline.
Michael Mifsud, who had earlier forced a fine save from United goalkeeper Paddy Kenny, drew a foul from Chris Morgan and Ward made no mistake with the resulting penalty.
Coventry, who fall to 20th, have now lost their last eight outings away from home in the league prompting their manager Chris Coleman to acknowledge they are now firmly in a relegation dogfight.
"I'm surprised, frustrated and disappointed," Coleman said.
"The penalty against us wasn't, the one we got wasn't and when you've got someone in charge like that it becomes a circus.
"I thought that if we'd have got the first goal then we'd have gone on to get two or three because we were playing the better stuff.
"The first goal changed things dramatically.
"Paddy Kenny made some great saves for them.
"We kept asking him questions and to be fair to him he kept answering them."
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