Goalscorer Luke Norris saw his chance to be a hero quickly disappear at Bramall Lane.

He celebrated his late goal for Gills as if it was a winner but 15 minutes later was reflecting on a stoppage-time defeat.

“All the boys are devastated because it could have been a really happy trip home,” said the striker.

“We now have all this week to prepare for the next game. All the lads are down, but that’s football.

“We held on and until about 86 minutes. I think Callum Davies has cleared a few off the line and I thought we defended very well. We went ahead but then all of a sudden conceded two in a few minutes and it’s not what you want.

“I don’t know where the referee got six minutes (of injury time) from, I really don’t and it went over that time. I think the reports will go back and they will speak for themselves.”

At 1-1, Norris was involved in a moment that could have changed the outcome completely. He was pulled down just outside the centre-circle with only the keeper between him and the Sheffield United goal.

The referee played on.

“Their skips kicked it against me, it’s rebounded and I was onto it,” said Norris.

“He (United captain Michael Doyle) admitted to me that he didn’t know he got away with it. I lost if with the referee because i think it was a bad decision.

“When their own players are saying they don’t know how they got away with it, that speaks for itself.

“I did still have a lot to do but there was nobody around within 30 yards and he is the last man. If he gets sent off then they are probably not going to go on and win the game.

“It’s a mistake, everyone makes mistakes, you can’t just blame it on that one thing but if it does go our way then the game finishes a lot differently.“