DEAN Holdsworth hasn't sported a broader grin since his Wimbledon days. The expression on his face after he'd scored the second of his brace at Bramall Lane summed up the emotions of a man who has shed a huge weight off his shoulders.

He hasn't had the best of times since his £3.5 million move, trying to live up to that huge fee. But he knows he's given Colin Todd a selection headache and given himself a fighting chance of an extended run, which is all he's ever wanted.

No-one wants to score goals more than Holdsworth and no-one is happier than when the ball hits the back of the net - even if it takes an age to get there! He was only a couple of yards out when he got on the end of Scott Sellars' corner, which had been helped on by an astute header by Mark Fish. But time seemed to stand still before he emerged from a crowd of players to celebrate his equaliser.

"It took an age to go in," Holdsworth confessed, "and I got a bit of a nudge as well, which didn't help."

No wonder he was relieved when the ball eventually dropped over the line. He'd been involved in the mix-up with Michael Johansen, right, that led to the Blades taking the lead some 15 minutes earlier. Thanks to his own efforts, he was able to laugh it off later, joking: "I've got to brush up on my Danish!" For his part, Todd has never questioned Holdsworth's commitment and fully understands the player's frustrations. "Selection is dictated by performances and the players who were keeping Dean out of the side were doing very well.

"But he has had it more difficult than most because he's been interrupted by injuries. You could see he'd set his stall out early in the season, when he was doing well. But he was injured and the players who came in played well.

"The goals will lift him though."

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