Sheffield United moved back to the top of the Championship table despite being denied a win by a last-minute Bristol City equaliser.

Tyrese Campbell's 10th goal of the campaign had looked set to give the Blades a three-point lead over Leeds United.

But second-half substitute Mark Sykes' leveller in the 90th minute frustrated Chris Wilder's men, leaving them just a point clear and the door ajar for Leeds to reclaim top spot with a home game against Millwall on Wednesday night.

In a frenetic finale, Sheffield United had two penalty appeals turned down in stoppage time as tempers flared with frustration at a missed opportunity.

For City the point means they stay seventh but gain ground on Coventry who are now two points ahead in the final play-off spot.

It was perhaps no surprise that this should be a heated and tight encounter given the form of the two sides and a reverse fixture at Ashton Gate in November that had seen a 90th minute winner for the visitors and a late red card for the Robins' Rob Dickie.

And yet it was a slow burner in a goalless first half.

That owed much an excellent performance from Michael Cooper for the Blades who saved a certain goal, somehow clawing out Sinclair Armstrong's close-range header on 34 minutes.

Not to be outdone, Max O'Leary made two fine stops from Harrison Burrows on 23 minutes and Campbell after a quick counter-attack 10 minutes before the break.

O'Leary had no answer to Campbell's cool finish on 61 minutes, the striker finishing a slick move started by Gus Hamer and flicked on by Rhian Brewster.

It looked as if Campbell was going to score the winner for the third game on the spin as Sheffield United eyed a two-point lead at the top of the table.

But two substitutes combined for the equaliser as Sykes swept home with his left foot after George Earthy had played it to him just inside the area.

Two penalty appeals looked justifiably turned down late on, Cameron Pring appearing to shove Burrows and then a dubious appeal for handball, before tempers flared late on.

The scenes said much about a missed opportunity for the Blades as the title race tightens.

Blades manager Chris Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield:

"We were lethargic and leggy and no energy really. They caused us problems and had us stretched at the top of the pitch and we sat too deep.

"We still had the best chances – I think we had three or four really good chances – so the control of the game was theirs, the best chances were ours.

"After 55-60 minutes we gained more energy and control, got ourselves in front and from there we were OK but not good enough to go and get two or three. We should have been better.

"It was fives and sixes across the board and when you have fives and sixes it doesn't give you the best opportunity to win a game of football.

"That was not our stock performance because if it was we would be sat in about 14th or 15th place. There was not enough good individual performances out there today."

Bristol City assistant manager Chris Hogg told BBC Radio Bristol:

"When you look at the performance and some of the attributes, things that we showed, I think it was a decent away performance.

"We controlled the ball pretty well first half, [this] is a difficult place to come, couple of chances where we don't quite have that last touch or the quality at the end of it.

"Then the pleasing thing, I think, you see going the goal down, you see the reaction. We just kept playing the way that was getting us some joy in the game, what we wanted to do pre-game, passing the ball and using it and attacking certain spaces.

"It was a good deserved point I think."