Blackpool v Sheffield United: No goals and maybe too much guile as both teams miss a chance

On reflection, they might have been better relying purely on brute force. This was a night, as the wind blew in from the Irish Sea and supporters shivered in the stands, when those who grabbed the game by the throat were responsible for carving the best openings.

United, with young striker Will Osula making his debut during the closing stages, were guilty of attempting to over-elaborate at times. And, with the match finishing goalless, they slipped to ninth in the Championship table as a result.

Neil Critchley’s side, as Paul Heckingbottom had warned beforehand, caused problems with Josh Bowler in particular testing United’s rearguard. After conceding four times during last weekend’s defeat by Coventry City, Heckingbottom will be pleased to keep a clean sheet ahead of Saturday’s derby against neighbours Barnsley.

But United lacked a cutting edge going forward, although Oliver Norwood did have an effort disallowed after the break - wheeling away in celebration after converting a superb half-volley, his joy turned to frustration after spotting the assistant referee’s flag.

United’s starting eleven pretty much selects itself these days. Around half of his outfield players, Heckingbottom admitted before travelling to Bloomfield Road, are unavailable for selection due to injury or personal issues.

It meant their bench looked more like something United would select for a development league fixture rather than an important Championship game. Oliver Arblaster, Osula and Nickseon Gomis, a France under-18 international making his first appearance on the team sheet, are all gifted individuals, But as Heckingbottom also alluded during his pre-match briefing ahead of the trip to Lancashire, experience is invaluable at the business end of a season. And that isn’t something they or fellow youngsters Kacper Lopata and Daniel Jebbison, possess in abundance.

Billy Sharp and Gary Madine, the one-time pantomime villain turned promotion winner with United following his spell on loan there three years ago, do. The focal point of their respective teams’ attacks, their pair traded opportunities during the opening period of a contest which quickly descended into an arm-wrestle.

But neither could hit the target, with Sharp dragging a low shot wide of Dan Grimshaw’s far post after electing to go it alone rather than feed the onrushing Morgan Gibbs-White. At the other end of the pitch, Madine flashed a header just over the crossbar after pushing in front of his marker.

Bowler went even closer as the interval approached, with his attempt beating Wes Foderingham but bouncing back off the woodwork. It was a dramatic end to a half which will have fascinated tacticians but done nothing for those who prefer their sport to be a little more incident packed.

CJ Hamilton, another former United player, was the next to show for Blackpool just past the hour mark; ballooning over from just inside the penalty area after wriggling into space.

Bowler did the same soon after, teasing himself into crossing position with a couple of delicate feints. Once again, though, the opening came to nothing. The winger dragged an excellent centre across the six yard box. But no one got a touch.

Blackpool: Grimshaw, Connolly (Lavery 80), Husband, Stewart, Bowler, Dougall, Madine (Yates 85), Ekpiteta, Hamilton (Kirk 80), Thorniley, Sterling. Not used: Moore, James, Dale, Robson.

Sheffield United: Foderingham, Osborn, Norrington-Davies, Robinson, Egan, Gordon, Norwood, Berge, Ndiaye (Hourihane 70), Gibbs-White (Osula 90), Sharp. Not used: A Davies, Lopata, Jebbison, Arblaster, Gomis.

Referee: Geoff Eltringham (Durham).

Attendance: 11,915.