Sheffield United 3, Bradford City 0: David Wetherall knew that Michael Brown was the best player in Division One this season.

He didn't need any more convincing, but got it anyway with the sledge-hammer finish that put the skids under City at Bramall Lane last night.

The Bantams skipper believes Brown has out-performed the likes of Paul Merson and Muzzy Izzet as the star performer in the league.

The red-hot midfielder waited until the 59th minute to show exactly why he is admired - and feared - by opponents with a piledriver past Aidan Davison from 20 yards.

It was Brown's 19th goal of the season, some haul for a non-striker, and the majority have been from that distance. And there was more to come.

Brown's blast broke the back of City's admirable resistance up to that point.

Four minutes later, third-placed Sheffield United had the win sewn up.

City old boy Dean Windass slipped Peter Ndlovu in on goal and, although Davison

parried his initial effort, the loose ball popped up kindly for the winger to head home ahead of Wetherall.

Sheffield United were not finished there and Brown bagged No20 from the penalty spot after Robert Molenaar was deemed to have pushed substitute Paul Peschisolido in a scramble to clear Michael Tonge's dink into the six-yard box.

The Bantams could have no complaints at the outcome after the home side turned up the heat in the second half of the match and demonstrated the firepower that will make them favourites to negotiate the minefield of the play-offs.

But Nicky Law's men had given as good as they got up to the break and posed more of a goal threat in the opening 25 minutes than they had in the previous 180 at Preston and Gillingham.

Carl Asaba and Danny Forrest traded efforts within the first 60 seconds before Molenaar's pass put Andy Gray clear. City's leading scorer looked odds on to nab his 16th goal of the campaign but former Park Avenue keeper Paddy Kenny out-syched him and plunged the right way at his feet to block.

Davison, wearing a Sheffield United orange change shirt because his clashed with green-clad referee Paul Taylor, nudged over another shot from Asaba. But City hit back straight away with Gray supplying Andy Myers whose swerving drive was fractionally too high to belatedly open his account for the season.

Both sides clearly had a licence to thrill and a fine save from Davison from Michael Tonge's drive was followed, midway through the half, by City's best chance.

Stuart McCall had been made captain for the night but the Bantams legend was shown no special favours by Claus Jorgensen. The Dane jinked round him on the byline before steering a pass back to Forrest.

The youngster's shot steered past Kenny but not full back Rob Kozluk who hacked it away off the line.

Four minutes before half-time, Gus Uhlenbeek returned the compliment to foil his former club as he headed out a goal-bound flick by Tonge who had slithered his way wide of Davison from Ndlovu's through ball.

Windass exploded into life five minutes into the second half with a left-foot blast out of nothing which crashed against the underside of the bar and out before Davison could react.

From that point it was one-way traffic, apart from one chance for Forrest, as Brown blew open the floodgates. Forrest could have replied almost straight away but hesitated when through

on goal, allowing Phil Jagielka to make up ground and throw his body in the way of the youngster's shot.

The travelling City fans at the far end sensed their chance had gone and Ndlovu's soft second goal quickly confirmed the fact.

United threw on Steve Kabba, Peschisolido and Wayne Allison and finished the match with four up front. Contrast that with City's bench where Frazer McHugh had the most experience of the five - with a whole one-and-a-half games under his belt.

At least it gave Kevin Sanasy a brief taster for the last few minutes and he was joined before the final whistle by Tom Penford. Fresh from his breezy cameo at Deepdale, Penford's three minutes of action still managed to include a confident step-over and cross.

They were crumbs of comfort after Sheffield United had tucked into the main course. For the Blades, they can now plan for the play-offs and are going to take some beating.

For City, the end of an extremely long and weary season is just 90 minutes away.

The sight of champions Portsmouth and their 7,000 followers should inspire the Bantams to bow out on a high at Valley Parade on Sunday.

Survival may have been achieved but Law won't want his side to sign off with a run of four straight defeats.