Just over 400 were in attendance as a young Blades XI took on Hallam FC at Sandygate Road under the watchful eye of Chris Morgan.
Kicking up-hill the first half, the Blades were in control for the entire 45 minutes and it took less than ten to break the deadlock. Philliskirk and McFadzean combined and the wingers cross found Joe Ironside who bundled the ball past the towering home keeper Branch.
Soon after and with a rare chance, the home side provided pretty much the only test to Blades keeper George Long, Wankiewicz’s free kick forcing the young keeper to touch past the post at full stretch.
Ironside bagged his second just shy of twenty minutes in, this time nodding home a whipped cross from Jordan Chapell. Sadly the cross from the right hand side was to be Chapell’s last contribution to the game, immediately hobbling off with what looked to be a knock to the ankle. Jordan Hodder took his place.
There looked to be a quick fire hat-trick on the cards as Ironside was put through on goal not long after the restart, but a reaction save from Branch kept it to two.
The half time break saw the introduction of Tyler Williams, taking the place of Erik Tonne and causing a bit of a reshuffle of positions.
It was to be a more even second half than the first, but the Blades still edged it, with George Long more or less a spectator.
The Blades made chances and forced a number of corners, McFadzean stinging the substitute keeper’s palms with a fierce volley from the edge of the box and Hancock being equal to two or three Philliskirk efforts.
Just as the keeper called for a strong last five minutes, Hallam were put further to the sword. Philliskirk finally bagged the goal that seemed destined to evade him, calmly lifting an Ironside cross over the keeper. Then, with Hallam still punch drunk, he bagged a second from close range after good work from Williams down the left.
Hallam FC: Branch, (Hancock 45) Askew (Machin 45), Crossland, Getliff (Sellars 70), Carr, Wankiewicz, Booth (Steadman 56), Ward, Meadows (Sampson 30), Deakin (Maskery 68), Mosley (Colton 35).
Unused Substitutes: Harrison, Finnigan.
Sheffield United: Long, Westlake, Salt, Harriott, Foster, McAllister, Chapell (Hodder 21), Philliskirk, Ironside, Tonne (T. Williams 45), McFadzean.
Unused Substitutes: Willis.