Bristol Rovers 0 Sheffield United 0: Blades return with point from Bristol

The League One leaders made five alterations to their starting XI and struggled to get going during a first half dominated by the hosts. But the Blades came out with more fight and desire after the restart.

Jay O’Shea cracked an effort just wide as the Blades cut through the Pirates’ defence before Billy Bodin, Stuart Sinclair and Rory Gaffney all wasted chances for Rovers.

Ollie Clarke fired a powerful shot just past the upright as United struggled to get going.

Bodin was again profligate in front of goal when his effort was deflected to safety by Jake Wright.

Joe Lumley palmed Caolan Lavery’s header away for a corner in first-half stoppage time.

O’Shea had a goalbound shot blocked before Lavery was again denied an opening goal four minutes after the break following an other great save by Lumley.

John Fleck cracked a low shot against the inside of a post after a great turn on the edge of the area and Tom Lockyer turned away Lavery’s strike after a great counter-attack from United.

Gaffney was denied a late winner after being flagged offside before Simon Moore saved superbly from Cristian Montano.

Bristol Rovers: Lumley, Partington, Lockyer, Sweeney, Brown, Bodin, Sinclair (Montano 60), Lines, O Clarke, Harrison (Moore 60), Gaffney. Unused substitues: Harris, Lucas, Puddy, Broom, Burn.

Sheffield United: Moore, Wright, O’Connell, Basham, Riley, Coutts, O’Shea (Ebanks-Landell 75), Fleck, Lafferty, Done (Sharp 67), Lavery. Unused substitutes: Long, McNulty, Freeman, Duffy, Carruthers.

Referee: K Johnson (Somerset).