Ndlovu clambers off bench to sharpen Blades

Sheffield United 2 Stoke City 1

Sheffield United moved into fourth position in the First Division as an injury to Carl Asaba proved the catalyst for a deserved victory over Stoke at Bramall Lane.

The Blades' manager Neil Warnock was forced to replace the striker shortly after half-time but the substitute Peter Ndlovu took just four minutes to force an own goal from Peter Handyside.

United welcomed back the talented midfielder Phil Jagielka from suspension but they struggled to get into the game early on as Stoke made a lively start. Peter Hoekstra and Andy Cooke went close before the Blades finally came to life.

The in-form Asaba began to cause problems for the visitors' defence and was unfortunate to see two efforts drift narrowly wide of the post.

The interval seemed to do Stoke good and in the opening minutes of the second period Tommy Mooney's glancing header was brilliantly pushed away by the home goalkeeper Paddy Kenny.

Stoke may have been relieved by Asaba's departure, but the switch was beneficial for the Blades as Ndlovu, who hit a post with his first effort on goal, forced Handyside to turn the ball into his own net with 62 minutes gone.

The Blades all but sealed the three points eight minutes later when Michael Brown fired home from the penalty spot after Wayne Thomas had brought down Michael Tonge.

Though Stoke pulled themselves back into the game when the substitute Chris Greenacre claimed his first goal for the club with a cool finish, United ensured they did not throw away the win their performance deserved.

Sheffield United: Kenny; Kozluk, Murphy, Yates, Page, McGovern (Boulding, 60), Brown, Jagielka, Tonge (McCall, 80), Asaba (Ndlovu, 59), Allison. Substitutes not used: Ten Heuvel (gk), Montgomery.

Stoke City: Cutler; Thomas, Shtanyuk, Handyside, Clarke, Gudjonsson (Goodfellow, 80), O'Connor, Hoekstra, Gunnarsson, Cooke (Greenacre, 76), Mooney. Substitutes not used: Viander (gk), Henry, Vandeurzen.

Referee: G Poll (Hertfordshire).