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Blades have it Hull to do again - MATCH REPORT AND SLIDESHOW
Sheff Utd 1 Halford (7) Hull city 1 Zayatte (34)
A COURAGEOUS performance from Greg Halford, who played centre-forward, centre-half and finished the afternoon sporting three stitches above a badly gashed eye, helped Sheffield United ensure they were represented in last night's FA Cup quarter-final draw.
Click on the green play button to see the slideshow from the game
Halford lifted his jersey to reveal the legend of 'R&R Records' the music venture he is pursuing with a high-ranking impresario, after scoring the goal which, until Kamil Zayatte's equaliser, appeared destined to see Kevin Blackwell's side qualify by rights.
Instead United must now return to Hull in 10 days time before earning the right to face Arsenal, Cardiff or Burnley.
But, Blackwell insisted, should they demonstrate the same self-belief at the KC Stadium, then his not-so-makeshift striker's talents will deserve a greater stage than Ninian Park or Turf Moor.
"Greg is a really likeable lad," Blackwell, who resolved to employ him in a more advanced role after losing a glut of senior players for the match, said. "He's got power, pace and he's an athlete.
"Greg can frustrate you at times, can need a kick up the backside and then picking up, but I suppose that's a happy medium.
"From what I gather he's fantastic at golf, a terrific swimmer and was brilliant at basketball when he was at school.
"It's not fair, is it?
"But, most importantly, he's got power and pace.
"Pretty much everything that the modern player needs."
And confidence too.
"I was excited when I heard I would be asked to go up front," Halford, signed on a season-long loan from Sunderland, said. "I was certain that I was going to score so that's why I wore the t-shirt.
"I'm part of a record company and I was trying to publicise that.
"It's certainly been an eventful afternoon and, to be honest, I thought we were a bit unlucky not to go straight through.
"But now we've just got to focus on going back to their place and doing a job there."
Halford was not the only success story during 90 minutes of fast and furious football which saw United issue the perfect response to those who suggested they were a club in terminal decline following the disappointment of the Steel City derby.
David Cotterill and Lee Hendrie, arguably the two greatest beneficiaries of a crippling selection crisis which meant Blackwell could only name five of his permitted seven substitutes, provided the width and fluency which had been sorely lacking only a week before.
In fact Cotterill, apparently devoid of confidence and creativity earlier this term, looked like a player reborn as Andy Dawson, who he beat to deliver the eighth-minute cross which Halford headed home, will testify.
"Andy has had Premiership and international wingers in his pocket all year," Hull manager Phil Brown admitted. "But I thought Cotterill was magnificent. He was the outstanding talent on the pitch."
The first instalment of this fifth round tie may have taken place on Valentines Day but there was precious little love lost between these two Yorkshire rivals.
Hull saw Michael Turner and Bernard Mendy booked as they flew into challenges with gusto but United, who moments earlier had seen Cotterill come within a whisker of converting a Halford centre, took the lead when their roles were reversed.
Hull protested - "The lads thought they heard a whistle," Brown said. "But, to be fair, if the boot was on the other foot I'd have been angry if it hadn't have been given."
Paddy Kenny showed good awareness to dash of his line and deny Caleb Folan as the visitors fought back but the goalkeeper was powerless to prevent Zayatte nodding home Dawson's 34th set-piece as United re-organised following an injury to Chris Morgan.
"If Morgs had have still been there and I have been able to stay-up front then I reckon we'd have turned them over," Halford insisted. "It was a blow to lose him and we were still reorganising at the time.
"But I think we've shown that we're back to our old selves now."
Hull pressed for a winner after the interval with Kenny's fine reaction save scrambling a Richard Garcia header clear but United continued to pose a threat despite tiring during the closing stages.
"We came out slowly but I'll take responsibility for that because of the changes I made," Brown said.
"That was such a feisty game, a proper cup tie, and once we got ourselves into it I thought we could have gone on to get another."
Blackwell's View
I put Greg up there because we needed the presence. We haven't lost many and that's why I'm surprised when people talk about a response. I thought the lads have shown why they are where they are. They don't lose easily, they never give up in games and that's why, usually, they're right in them until the final whistle.
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Weather for Sheffield
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: East
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Cloudy
Temperature: 12 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
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