Sport

Sheffield steel puts County to the sword

Perhaps it is no surprise that one of Sheffield United's greatest attributes these days is the never-say-die spirit which made…

Mon Jan 25 1999 - 00:00

Perhaps it is no surprise that one of Sheffield United's greatest attributes these days is the never-say-die spirit which made their manager Steve Bruce such a formidable defender.

It was sheer doggedness which dragged United from the brink of FA Cup disaster against Notts County and raised hopes of them emulating last season's success, when they reached the semi-finals.

They secured Wednesday night's appealing fourth-round tie at home to Third Division Cardiff City with a 4-3 extra-time win, despite trailing 3-1 with barely five minutes remaining of the third-round replay at Meadow Lane.

David Holdsworth, who sparked the comeback by making it 3-2 with five minutes left, proclaimed afterwards: "Steve Bruce has put together a team that never knows when it is beaten. We battle right to the death."

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Two opportunist goals from Gary Jones and a 25-yard drive from Shaun Murray had put County in control, despite Vassilis Borbokis scoring for United in the first half.

Then Holdsworth threw United the lifeline and the Brazilian Marcelo grabbed it with both hands, equalising in the final seconds of normal time and then having a major part in the winner from Curtis Woodhouse's cross. Strangely, Marcelo insisted the final touch for the goal had come from the County defender Ian Richardson.

Bruce was bemused by that. "It must be the first time I've heard a striker refusing to claim a goal," he said. But he is probably even more puzzled, albeit pleasantly, that he has another FA Cup tie to look forward to this season.

Notts County: Ward, Hendon, Pearce (Tierney 108), Redmile, Liburd, Richardson, Owers, Hughes (Garcia 56), Dyer (Strodder 99), Jones, Murray. Subs Not Used: Beattie, Dudley. Booked: Jones. Goals: Jones 19, Murray 57, Jones 83.

Sheffield United: Kelly, Borbokis, Quinn, Henry (Morris 61), Sandford, Holdsworth, Woodhouse, O'Connor (Ford 75), Marcelo (Jacobsen 110), Twiss, Stuart. Subs Not Used: Walker, Davis. Sent Off: Quinn (97). Booked: Quinn. Goals: Borbokis 40, Holdsworth 85, Marcelo 89, 94.

Referee: A Wiley (Burntwood).