Huddersfield Town 1 Sheffield United 1: Honours even in a friendly with an edge
League One Huddersfield Town drew 1-1 with Sheffield United in both side's final game before a new season the Terriers look more ready for, although it was the Blades who nearly won it.
Honours were even in a friendly with an edge as Ben Wiles and Anel Ahmedhodzic exchanged goals.
Huddersfield tried to get the ball down and play through deep-lying midfielder Herbie Kane on a good playing surface and quickly got their reward, pouncing on a moment of looseness from Gustavo Hamer.
Having Hamer on the wing should make the Blades better in possession but he sold Jack Robinson short with a pass Terriers new boy Lasse Sorensen picked up and played in to Wiles, their in-form player of the pre-season. Wiles controlled and smashed it in off the crossbar with fewer than five minutes gone.
Huddersfield could have done without the midfielder limping off 10 minutes from time.
It was a physical game with Harrison Burrows making a big tackle on Rhys Healey in one penalty area and Anthony Evans needing lengthy treatment in the other.
He recovered pretty quickly, though, dragging a shot wide shortly after returning to the field.
In the second half Josh Koroma squared up to Oliver Arblaster, though like the drizzle of the first half, it did not amount to much and quickly blew over.
Ahmedhodzic tackled Josh Koroma from behind, but won the ball in the penalty area.
But both sides looked to get the ball down and play on a typically good August pitch.
Lee Nicholls had to be alert to deny Callum O'Hare, who was popping up in good position without matching it in the quality of his finishes. Rhian Brewster should have worked the goalkeeper harder than a shot steered at him after Nicholls again denied O'Hare.
The Blades equalised five minutes into the second half, Burrows curling a free-kick Nicholls had no chance with onto a post, and centre-back Ahmedhodzic supplying a poacher's finish.
Wiles caught a volley sweetly shortly after, but could not put it on target but the majority of the second-half play was in the opposite direction.
Nicholls made a fantastic double save in the 69th minute, reacting quickly after denying Arblaster, and Burrows' last act before being substituted was to drag a shot wide.
The Blades could have won it right at the death but for a brilliant bit of defending by Lasse Sorensen to block Anis Slimane's header from a right-wing cross.
Manager Chris Wilder gathered his players for a post-match debrief on the field before going across to the away fans.
Huddersfield Town: Nicholls; Lees (Pearson 69), Helik, Spencer; Sorensen, Evans, Kane, Wiles (Kasumu 80), Miller (Headley 69); Healey (Ward 69), Koroma.
Unused substitute: Maxwell.
Sheffield United: Davies; Seriki, Ahmedhodzic, Robinson, Burrows (Trusty 77); Souza, Arblaster; Brooks, O'Hare, Hamer (Marsh 69); Brewster (Slimane 63).
Unused substitutes: Blacker, Faxon, Boyes, Sasnauskas, Sachdev, One, Peck, Hampson.
Referee: D Webb (County Durham)