Bryan Robson admitted Sheffield United were not good enough to mount a promotion challenge after seeing them lose 2-0 to Sheffield Wednesday.Goals in either half from Owls strikers Akpo Sodje and Marcus Tudgay wrested back the bragging rights for the blue side of Sheffield after the Blades' run of three successive derby wins.
The result lifts the Owls away from the bottom three - it was only their second league win in nine matches - but leaves United struggling in the bottom half of the table, prompting Robson to declare he was wrong not to dismantle the squad he inherited from Neil Warnock last summer.
Robson said: "We've said one good result could really kick us on, but we haven't done that so for me that shows when I gave all the players new contracts in the summer to keep everybody from last season on board, I'm not so sure that was the right decision.
"The club needs a change around of personnel and you need time to do that.
"I've spoken to the players but what I said stays in the dressing room, but that performance sums us up and it's not acceptable."
United created few chances, with Wednesday goalkeeper Lee Grant only forced to make one telling save when he tipped over Rob Hulse's deflected shot early in the second half.
Robson said: "We didn't have any drive about our game. We were playing in the comfort zone. There was no real purpose in our game.
"We've still got a chance of getting into that top six, but we're not kidding ourselves.
"We're over halfway in the season now and we felt things were coming together nicely, but maybe we're not good enough to get up there.
"Maybe the expectations at the start of the season were too much for the players to take on board because the league table doesn't lie."
Blades fans were understandably silent at the final whistle, leaving their Owls counterparts to ironically chant Robson's name.
He added: "They're going to be disappointed the same as I am. They know how important derby games are and there were only certain periods of the game where I felt we played like it was a derby.
"Like I say, the club needs a change around."
Sodje struck in the 25th minute and after the Owls had defended as if their lives depended on it in the second half, Tudgay lashed home a decisive second with 15 minutes remaining.
Overjoyed Owls manager Brian Laws said: "It's a fantastic feeling and may I say I mean that.
"If you feel just 10% of how this feels for the supporters it's a magnificent feeling.
"There was a lot of pride at stake and a lot of pride coming across from the supporters and the players.
"It was not about football, it was about commitment and desire.
"When we got chances to play we did so, but it was important to show our cards right from the start."
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