FA Cup Fourth Round: Sheffield United 1-1 Fulham

Sheffield United and Fulham will go again for a place in the Fifth Round after the pair drew 1-1 in a testing encounter at Bramall Lane.

The Blades, who ended the game with ten men following the sending off of captain Michael Doyle, took the lead in the first half through Chris Porter.

However, they were pegged back by a fine Hugo Rodallega strike with 15 minutes remaining.

Sheffield United, four-time winners, had never lost in five FA Cup encounters with the Cottagers, and continued that run with a gutsy performance.

Following a series of early-morning downpours in South Yorkshire, in the hours leading up to kick-off there was considerable doubt as to whether the game would go ahead.

Indeed, it was not until an hour before kick-off that referee Andre Marriner carried out a final pitch inspection and gave the tie the go-ahead.

Despite the heroic efforts of the groundstaff to get the game on, the rain continued to fall and the rattle of thunder boomed down over Bramall Lane.

The sodden pitch made it hard for either side to find their rhythm early on, and there was little in the way of goalmouth action during the opening phases.

With a crucial Premier League game against Swansea City two days away, Rene Meulensteen made eleven changes to the side that lost to Arsenal eight days ago.

The Dutchman handed a senior debut to 19-year-old defender Josh Passley – and a first senior start to Swedish forward and fellow teenager, Muamer Tankovic. Another rookie forward, Chris David, also started in just his second appearance for the Cottagers.

However, with the likes of the vastly experienced Giorgos Karagounis, Damien Duff and John Arne Riise all featuring, the average age of Meulensteen’s starting side was 27. On paper looked as though they would have enough to see off their hosts, who sit two tiers below them in League One.

The game was in jeopardy due to torrential rain

Fulham started well and looked lively up front. Despite the treacherous conditions, to their credit, the Cottagers continued to pass the ball on the deck and play out from the back.

Hugo Rodallega and Tankovic combined well on a number of occasions, but were unable to find a way through the sturdy pairing of Harry Maguire and Neill Collins at the centre of the Blades’ defense.

And Fulham’s lack of cutting edge in the final third was to cost them. Despite controlling possession for much of the opening half-hour, the Cottagers found themselves behind to Porter’s strike on 31 minutes.

Maguire, so strong at the back, strode forward and fired a low cross-shot towards Fulham’s six-yard box. The ball ran perfectly into the path of Porter, who steered home from close range to break the deadlock and put the Blades ahead.

The goal seemed to give the home side the confidence they seemed to lack in the opening exchanges and they began to sniff an upset.

Harry Maguire set up Chris Porter's opener for the Blades

Porter and Jose Baxter combined again on the edge of the box and the former fired a low goalbound shot that was well blocked by Philippe Senderos.

Shortly after half-time Nigel Clough had brought off the pair that combined for the goal – as he replaced Porter with debutant Stefan Scougall during the break and switched Maguire for Bob Harris two minutes into the second period.

With the rain ceasing and the pitch beginning to dry, the second half began at a far livelier pace than the first. Pajtim Kasami cut inside and fired inches wide for the visitors, while at the other end Jose Baxter produced a fine save from David Stockdale with a low effort.

However, on 52 minutes Fulham appeared to be handed a lifeline out of nowhere when Sheffield United captain Doyle was sent off for an off-the-ball incident with David.

Darren Bent was brought on as the Premier League side sensed their opportunity, but it was the home team who appeared galvanized and adopted a siege type mentality.

Somewhat docile in the first half, the home crowd appeared to wake from their slumber.

“Yorkshire, Yorkshire, Yorkshire” was the chant from all four corners of the ground as the Bramall Lane faithful roared the Blades on into every tackle and on every charge forward.

Hugo Rodallega bagged a second half equaliser for Fulham

Ryan Flynn, with little in the way of support broke forward on the right and bore down on Stockdale’s goal – but the 25-year-old’s shot was the outstretched leg of Stockdale.

However, as Sheffield United were forced to adopt a ‘what we have we hold’ approach as the closing stages approached – and the game turned into a case of attack against defense.

Despite creating little in the way of clear-cut chances, the accumulative pressure told and Fulham eventually drew level through Rodallega with 15 minutes remaining.

The Colombian striker found himself in space on the edge of the box and with very little backlift rifled a low shot past the outstretched glove of England Under-21s keeper George Long and in to the bottom corner for his fourth goal of the season.

With neither outift seemingly in the mood for a replay, the closing stages resembled the final rounds of a heavyweight boxing contest – as both sides, heavy on their feet, slugged it out.

Philippe Senderos saw his looping headed effort bounce back off the bar with seven minutes remaining as the hosts were pegged back.

However, despite weathering a storm from mother nature in the first half and another from Fulham in the second, Nigel Clough’s men managed to hold out for a hard-earned replay.

Sheffield United
Long, Brayford, Maguire (Harris, 48), Hill, Flynn, Doyle (C), Porter (Scougall, 46) Baxter (McGinn, 84) Collins, Coady, Murphy.
Substitutes not used Howard, Miller, Kennedy, De Girolamo.

Manager: Nigel Clough
Goal: Porter (31)

Fulham
Stockdale, Riise (Plumain, 9, Taarabt, 67), Senderos, Kasami, Karagounis, Duff, Hughes (C), Rodallega, David (Bent, 57) Tankovic, Passley.
Substitutes not used Stekelenburg, Kacaniklic, Christensen, Pritchard.

Manager: Rene Meulensteen
Goal: Rodallega (75)

Referee: Andre Marriner

Attendance: 16,324