Tahith Chong scored his first goal for Sheffield United and Patrick Bamford struck twice to help the Blades end their three-game losing run as they sealed a Championship victory against Lincoln City.

Bamford put the Blades ahead just before the break, finding the bottom corner with a clinical close-range finish.

And after Curacao international Chong doubled the advantage early in the second half, beating Imps goalkeeper from George Wickens from a tight angle, once-capped England international Bamford made it 3-0 with a volley.

Victory against the Imps moves them up to 13th in the table, two place and one point above last season's League One title winners.

Prior to their return to action in the aftermath of the extended three-week international break, Blades boss Chris Wilder said he felt his side had been getting bashed about" this season, as criticism mounted following a stuttering start to the campaign

Sheffield United had slipped to 18th in the Championship table and were also knocked out of the EFL Cup by League Two side Fleetwood Town in September.

The feeling was heightened by off-field issues surrounding the South Yorkshire side, with the English Football League commencing an investigation after the company used to buy the club was placed into liquidation by the High Court in August.

The Imps failed to add to those woes when they really could have landed a first-half blow at Bramall Lane, with Freddie Draper heading wastefully over the crossbar after meeting an inviting cross from Rob Street.

The hosts dominated possession but created little before forward Bamford turned home Sam McCallum's low cross in the 43rd minute.

Chong, making his first Championship start of the season after featuring for Curacao at the World Cup in the summer, linked up well with Joe Rothwell before doing just enough to squeeze his finish past Wickens and in off the woodwork.

When Ben Brereton Diaz swung a deep cross into the box, Bamford peeled away from his marker to slam home his second of the afternoon to complete a comfortable victory for the hosts.

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield:

"We needed it. We have heard all the noise, so we needed it individually. Players needed up their game - the coaches, the manager, we all did. And we did.

"This was an awkward game that we had to deal with.

"We don't like to get bashed up, and I don't think you would like someone come over the top of you and bash you all the time about your performances. We don't enjoy it and don't like it, so always the best way to react is by putting in a performance like that."

Lincoln City joint head coach Chris Cohen told BBC Radio Lincolnshire:

"I thought for 35 minutes it was the game that we probably wanted. We had a decent chance with Fred, but weren't quite able to put it on target.

"And then the timing of the goals today, and the quality of the goals were real sucker punches.

"It ended up being a tough day, although statistically I think it will look really even, it was a tough last half an hour."