Almost exactly a year after being knocked out of the Carling Cup at Victoria Park, the Blades found themselves back again to face Hartlepool United in the first round. With Chris Porter and Ryan Flynn being forced out of the side through injury, Danny Wilson handed starts to Lee Williamson and loanee Nathaniel Mendez-Laing.

The kick-off was delayed by fifteen minutes due to a power-failure but the game itself was an entertaining encounter.

In his first appearance for Sheffield United, the energetic Mendez-Laing made his presence known early on. With the Blades looking to take advantage of his pace, the loanee was unlucky not to find Cresswell with an early cross and almost capitalised on a mistake by Hartlepool keeper Flinders but couldn’t find the target.

Neither side dwelling in possession and both sides looking to attack quickly, the game continued end-to-end with Hartlepool looking a strong, well organised side.

It was the Blades who would go into half-time a goal to the good though; the impressive and ever involved Stephen Quinn with a rare headed goal after linking up well with Mendez-Laing. It could have been a different story but for the woodwork of Simonsen’s goal stopping Monkhouse’s effort and Scott Flinders pushing a Cresswell shot around the post.

After a few half chances for both teams, Mendez-Laing cursed his luck when a lovely curling effort from the edge of the box evaded the outstretched Hartlepool keeper but bounced back off the underside of the cross-bar. With Hartlepool still very much in the game, the Blades had a number of chances to give themselves a cushion but Cresswell, McAllister and particularly Slew were left feeling they perhaps should have done better with their opportunities.

With around 10 minutes remaining, the home side equalised when the Blades failed to clear their lines and Anthony Sweeney pounced to fire the ball past Simonsen. The goalscorer became a spectator shortly after, hobbling off and reducing the home side to ten men, having already used their substitutions.

Despite Cresswell coming close on a couple of occasions, both sides were unable to break the deadlock during the added thirty minutes and so the tie was decided on a penalty shootout at the Town End.

First up was ex-blade Evan Horwood who struck the ball powerfully down the centre beating Simonsen who dived to his left.

Richard Cresswell was to be the Blades first, who finished hard and low to the keepers right.

Simonsen was then beaten again by another effort down the middle from James Poole.

To the surprise of the visiting supporters next up was centre-back Neil Collins, who confidently sent the keeper the wrong way.

Luscombe stepped up for Hartlepool and gave the Blades keeper no chance, finding the top corner.

Blades captain Nick Montgomery emulated Luscombe and silenced doubters amongst the travelling support with a shot high into the top corner leaving Flinders with no chance, despite diving the correct way.

Colin Nish became the first player to fail to score, the tall striker side-footing the ball high and wide.

Stephen Quinn stepped up and fired towards the keepers right, Flinders guessed the right way and managed to get a hand to the midfielders shot, palming away from goal.

Neil Austin scored for the home side with a shot to Simonsen’s left, sending the keeper the wrong way.

Next up was young blade Matty Lowton, who keeper Flinders tried to put off by bouncing the ball and then throwing it away in the direction of the referee. The Pools keeper earned himself a booking, but failed in his attempts, Lowton drilling the ball to the keepers left.

Having taken 5 penalties a piece, it was on to sudden death and a penalty from Sam Collins.

Collins tried to place the ball to the keeper’s left, but Simonsen was equal to the shot and pushed the ball away with ease.

It was left to another youngster to finish the game and put the Blades through to the next round, Danny Philliskirk stepped up and without delay quickly dispatched the ball into the roof of the net.

Hartlepool United 1 – 1 Sheffield United

(Sheffield United win 4-5 on penalties)

Hartlepool United: Flinders, Austin, Collins, Hartley, Horwood, Solano (Luscombe 68), Liddle (Murray 78), Sweeney, Monkhouse, Nish, Boyd (Poole 64).
Unused: Humphreys, Haslam, Baldwin, Rafferty.

Sheffield United: Simonsen, Lowton, Jean-Francois, Montgomery, Mendez-Laing (Slew 64), Doyle (Philliskirk 112), Williamson (McAllister 81), Collins, Cresswell, Maguire, Quinn.
Unused: Harriott, Conneely, Tonne, Long.

Attendance: 2774

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