Blades beat Blackburn to reach Carabao Cup third round

Sheffield United booked their place in the third round of the Carabao Cup with a 2-1 home win against Blackburn.

Richard Stearman headed the Blades in front after Blackburn had failed to convert an early penalty and Oliver Norwood struck their second in first-half stoppage time.

Blackburn substitute Sam Gallagher headed the visitors back into it with 19 minutes left, but Chris Wilder’s side held on in front of crowd of only 9,714 at Bramall Lane.

The Blades made 10 changes from Saturday’s home defeat to Leicester and were lucky not to be punished for a disjointed start.

Blackburn, who made eight changes themselves, squandered a seventh-minute penalty when Adam Armstrong’s spot-kick , after Stearman had clipped Bradley Dack, was saved by Simon Moore.

The Blades were only just finding any kind of rhythm when Stearman headed home Norwood’s 31st-minute corner to give them the lead.

Blades’ summer signing Ravel Morrison, making his full debut, set up their second on the stroke of half-time, pulling the ball back for Norwood to finish in style from the edge of the area.

Neither side created a chance worthy of note in the second half until Gallagher, a second-half replacement for Dack, headed home Armstrong’s cross at the far post in the 71st minute.

Wilder handed another summer signing, Lys Mousset, his debut off the bench in the 65th minute and the lively French striker was thwarted in the area by a last-ditch tackle.

Blackburn substitute Joe Rankin-Costello and Corry Evans both spurned chances in the closing stages before manager Tony Mowbray lost his temper in time added on and was sent to the stands by referee Geoff Eltringham.