Coventry 1 Sheffield United 0: Rhys Norrington-Davies injury blow and cruel late twist for Blades

Injuries, illness, postponements and suspensions beset the Sky Blues in 2021-22 and those issues - and others as well - are busy blighting matters this season.

The Blades also know a thing or too about interruptions themselves. For the second successive season, they came to the CBS Arena with an absentee count around the double-figure mark.

It was added to early on in proceedings when Rhys Norrington-Davies went down in clear distress after sending over a left-wing cross at full-stretch.

He immediately signalled to the Blades bench and his night was over - and potentially his World Cup hopes with Wales.

After attention, he was stretchered off with pain etched all over his face and his hands on his head. It was a sad and concerning sight.

Unfortunately, there was another painful development towards the end to extend United's winless sequence to six matches on a night when a victory would have seen them return to the summit.

It came when Chris Basham was penalised for fouling Viktor Gyokeres, kept much, much quieter than back in March here, in the box. One moment of danger was enough.

Substitute Martyn Waghorn - a former target for the Blades - assumed responsibility from the spot and rammed home the only goal three minutes from time.

Basham left the stage soon after and also bore a troubled expression, like Norrington-Davies.

United were sore and so Huddersfield Town will be, with the Terriers now finding themselves two points adrift and propping up the table.

This was a game that the Blades should have certainly taken something from and probably won, with Oli Norwood and Oli McBurnie hitting the woodwork in the second half.

Despite dominating much of the second period, they lacked ruthlessness.

There had been some suggestions that this game may not take place after City's landlords at the CBS Arena, Wasps, entered into administration.

The Sky Blues had already seen four games postponed already this season - three due to an unplayable pitch and one following the death of the Queen. The matches called off included home matches with Rotherham United and Huddersfield.

This one against Yorkshire visitors took place. Those who attended got little to enthuse about in a scrappy, unsatisfactory first half which was as boring and eventless as the meeting between these two sides in March was open and entertaining.

Back then, United’s backline were torn apart by Gyokeres and two-goal Callum O’Hare, who gave them a frightful time in the number ten role. Thankfully for the visitors’ sakes, the latter was absent this time around.

The lack of scares at the back would have been gratefully received at least by the Blades - more especially given those chaotic events against Blackpool at the weekend as well - in a chanceless half that got more tetchy as it went on.

Norrington-Davies’s replacement, James McAtee, received the opprobrium of home fans and players after a challenge on Fankaty Dabo that yielded a caution after deliberation from referee Keith Stroud.

The Hampshire official also brandished cards to Ben Sheaf and Dabo ahead of the break as tempers got a little heated.

United did produce a pocket of mini-pressure before the break at least with Norwood, Iliman Ndiaye and others starting to get into the game, which was a slow-burner.

It was Norwood who came closest to a breakthrough with his deep free-kick from close to the left flank striking the bar after a crude looking foul from Dabo - who escaped a second-half caution on Ben Osborn.

The traces of momentum were with the Blades at least with Dabo, sensibly, soon replaced by Mark Robins.

The game’s first effort on target saw Ben Wilson keep out Ndiaye’s sharp effort after a quickly-taken free-kick from Doyle, with the Blades looking the more likely.

A half-shout for a penalty when Casey Palmer ran into Basham did not interest Stroud. It did at least have the effect of piquing the hosts, who started to show more a touch more intensity.

That was almost crystallised into an opener when debutant Adam Davies stood up well at his near post to block a fierce low drive from Gustavo Hamer, a strong first save.

United replied in kind and responded to the challenge, with McBurnie a whisker away.

There was another twist, unfortunately, as their winless streak stretched to five.

Coventry City: Wilson; Rose, McFadzean, Panzo; Dabo (Hamer 54), Sheaf, Eccles, Bidwell, Allen (Palmer 65); Godden (Waghorn 65, Taveres 90)), Gyokeres. Unused substitutes: Moore, C Doyle, Kane.

Sheffield United: Davies, Ahmedhodzic, Egan, Basham (Sharp 88); Baldock, Norwood, T Doyle (Fleck 80), Osborn, Norrington-Davies (McAtee 12); Ndiaye, McBurnie: Unused substitutes: Amissah, Brewster, Khadra, Robinson.

Referee: K Stroud (Hants).