A poor first half display saw the Blades defeated by two goals to one at Port Vale with the Blades starting the second half two goals down. A better performance in the latter 45 minutes saw Sharp pull one back and despite a barrage of efforts were unable to record a positive result.
Nott's County were the Blades next opponents in the Football League Trophy and the Red and White Wizards made the Magpies easy pickings, scoring three penalties and winning the game 5-1. United moved back into the top six, leap-frogging Rochdale in the process as they beat the Dale 3-2 at Bramall Lane. Neill Collins netted the overall winner after the game was pegged back to 2-2 by the visitors.
Picture: Sheffield United's Stefan Scougall (centre left) celebrates scoring his teams fourth goal of the game.
Port Vale 2-1 Sheffield United
Saturday, 3rd October 2015 - League One
Port Vale produced an impressive first-half performance and held firm after the break to claim a deserved 2-1 victory over Sheffield United. Vale made a confident start and took the lead in the 17th minute after United goalkeeper Mark Howard saved Colin Daniel's initial header. The loose ball fell back into the path of Daniel, who played a square pass for Byron Moore to sweep a low left-foot shot into the centre of goal from six yards.
Defender Richard Duffy denied Billy Sharp an equaliser shortly afterwards, but Vale dominated the rest of the first half and deservedly doubled their lead just before the interval. Uche Ikpeazu swept past a couple of half-hearted challenges to crash a right-foot shot from 18 yards, which struck the underside of the crossbar on its way into the right-hand side of Howard's net.
United brought on Terry Kennedy and Che Adams at half-time and should have reduced the arrears within two minutes when Vale keeper Jak Alnwick saved Sharp's shot from point-blank range. Vale responded and almost added a third in the 67th minute when Daniel's 14-yard strike rattled the crossbar.
The visitors then pulled a goal back with virtually the last kick of the match, when substitute Matt Done spun to fire a left-foot shot into the right-hand corner of Alnwick's net from the edge of the six-yard box.
Sheffield United 5-1 Nott's County
Tuesday, 6th October 2015 - JPT Round 2
Sheffield United made light work in their cup match at home to Nott's County, beating the League Two side 5-1 at Bramall Lane and advancing to the next round of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy. Three penalties were awarded in the game to United with Jose Baxter converting two and Che Adams, with Baxter already substituted tucking away the third. There were also successful strikes for Matt Done and Stefan Scougall whilst former Blade Jon Stead netted the Magpies consolation goal.
Despite a flurry of goals it took 20 minutes for Nott's to concede when Baxter was handed his first opportunity from the spot after Thierry Audel had fouled Jamal Campbell-Ryce. Liam Noble went close at the other end but after lobbing George Long his effort rattled the bar. Done doubled the lead on 23 minutes after converting one-on-one with the keeper and Baxter added a third on 36, this time Hollis fouling Adams in the box.
With the score at 3-0 substitute Stead bundled home from Hewitt's cross shortly after the hour. But Scougall restored the three goal advantage and after Adams was hauled down Hollis again in the box, the defender received his marching orders and Adams dusted himself down to convert from the spot.
Sheffield United 3-2 Rochdale
Saturday, 10th October 2015 - League One
A late Che Adams penalty earned Sheffield United a share of the spoils in controversial circumstances as the Blades drew 2-2 in their League One clash at 10-man Fleetwood Town. The Blades struck first, Fleetwood opened up as the ball was move quickly from right to left, Matt Done firing from the flank and slotting low past Chris Maxwell. The lead lasted barely two minutes and the hosts responded when Ash Hunter rose at the back post to nod home Victor Nirennold's inviting curled cross home.
The only other incident of note came just before the break when Fleetwood defender Joe Davis went down following a clash of heads in the box, the centre-half helped off blooded and bandaged after a lengthy delay for treatment. The home side very nearly grabbed the advantage after the break as David Ball drilled the ball in from the left, his cross bouncing back off the bar and dropping for Wes Burns, whose far-post header also rebounded off the woodwork.
Fleetwood - having stood firm in a Sheffield storm - grabbed the lead on the hour. John Brayford felled Ash Hunter wide on the left and Jimmy Ryan's resulting free-kick was flicked in off the post by Marcus Nilsson as the Swede netted his first goal for the club. The game turned when Fleetwood sub Nick Haughton was shown a late red card as he kicked the ball away following Jamille Matt's foul. And when Amari'i Bell clipped Flynn in the second minute of injury time, Adams was able to snatch a point from the penalty spot following another lengthy delay as keeper Chris Maxwell was struck by an object thrown from the crowd.