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Halford got straight into the thick of things when he drilled the ball towards David Cotterill but he didn't get clean contact with the ball. But a few minutes later, Halford was involved again. Dawson fell on the slippery surface which allowed Cotterill to chip the ball towards Boaz Myhill's back post where Halford could leap above Rickkets to nod in to the far corner of the net. The Tigers were claiming a push on the defender but the goal stood.
Hull's first real attack of the game came on the 10 minute mark. Folan's effort was defended well by Montgomery but Garcia's header from the corner flew over.
A little mess-up at the back from the Blades nearly proved costly when Folan was one on one with Kenny but the Irishman cleared although he was clipped on the way through. After a little treatment, the game resumed.
Micheal Turner leapt for a ball with skipper Chris Morgan. The defender who had only just returned from injury fell to the ground when he was elbowed but Turner only picked up a yellow despite the same referee (Andre Marriner) issuing Darius Henderson with a red card for a similar offence down at Swansea.
Later on in the game, Morgan had to have more treatment from the physiotherapist when he twisted his knee with nobody around him. Danny Webber replaced the captian with Halford moving to centre-back, Nick Montgomery was given the armband. Morgan had assistance on the sidelines in front of the Kop when shortly after he was stretched off with applauses.
But just as he was about to turn down the tunnel with the paramedics, Hull equalised. Slack defending from a Tigers free-kick allowed Zayette to rise above Sun Jihai to turn the ball towards goal and nestle into the back of the net.
Zayette wanted to drill the ball across the face of goal directly after the game resumed but tight defending meant he could only smash the ball into the side netting. Sharp had the opportunity to nod the Blades in front for a second time. Unfortunately for him he headed wide of Myhill's post.
Half-time arrived with both sides relatively happy with their performances so far. A few minutes into the 2nd half, Rickkets' cross was headed towards the bottom corner of the goal but Paddy Kenny dived down low to push the ball away.
Several minutes later United broke and had the chance to go 2:1 up. The ball fell to the feet of Stephen Quinn but he shot straight at the goalkeeper from long-range.
Mendy turned Naysmith and latched at goal but Kenny impressively saved with his legs. Halford clashed heads with an Hull attacker so he had to leave the field for a few minutes to have a bandage wrapped around his forehead.
Hendrie was replaced by Howard with a quarter of an hour left. Quinn had another chance at goal but he scuffed the ball into the palms of Myhill. Later on in the game Cotterill swung the ball deep to the far post but Howard couldn't get enough power on the header to convert past the keeper.
When the match went into injury time it was Hull who provided all the attacks and pressure. But United held on and forced a replay at the KC Stadium where they will try for the second time to edge past the Premier League outfit and make that one step closer to Wembley. The final score from Bramall Lane is Sheffield United 1:1 Hull City.