Mansfield Town 0 Sheffield United 3: For all Blades problems, League Cup is not one

The terrace chant "We ain't got a barrel of money," which inevitably got an airing from the Field Mill away end, is certainly pertinent now.

So at least they did not make a bad summer worse by losing a cup tie to Mansfield Town for the second time this year. Unlike in last season’s FA Cup, three goals were enough against the Stags.

There were elements of fortune in how Patrick Bamford and Mark McGuinness' goals came about – not Callum O'Hare's – but you could argue they earnt it with their application. This is a collection of players who cannot afford to coast in a low gear at the moment.

With their loanees sent back, one left-back ill and the other – Harrison Burrows – only fit enough for the bench, Andre Brooks sold and Gustavo Hamer soon to be, the Blades were in the very unusual situation of sending out a team on 2026-27 League Cup first-round weekend without a new signing in it.

And having been their best player in the first nearly half-an-hour, a much better version of last season’s Tahith Chong went off injured. Femi Seriki would go off injured much later.

Things are not going their way at the moment.

Mansfield started the game excellently, inspired not surprisingly, by their debutant David McGoldrick whose name was sung, not for the first time, by the Blades fans – the polar opposite of the reception former Sheffield Wednesday striker Michael Smith got when he replaced him.

Inventive on the ball and hungry to win it back, 38-year-old centre-forward McGoldrick was a shining example to younger colleagues. On and off the field, Barnsley will miss him badly.

But for all that, it was Bamford who pounced on scrappy play by the hosts to give his side the lead.

Former Huddersfield Town and Barnsley midfielder Jon Russell hit a clearance into a team-mate and after Joe Rothwell's first two shots were blocked, Bamford turned the third in, glancing across to check the linesman was not waving his flag before celebrating.

Inspired by McGoldrick tracking back to dispossess Seriki minutes earlier, Chong did similar to rob Ryan Sweeney, only for his ball inside to be cut out.

McGoldrick's effort a minute later lacked the curl it needed, whilst Bamford headed a Chong cross over.

Chong broke through the middle but a big Russell tackle stopped O'Hare taking advantage. Rothwell spooned a Chong cut-back.

Given their history with the higher-division opposition, Mansfield were not about to roll over.

When Louis Reed's shot was blocked, Michael Cooper had to save the follow-up from Frazer-Blake Tracy, then Russell had a shot deflected wide.

Japhet Tanganga headed a Sweeney cross over his own bar for the first of four Stags corners to end the half. Cooper had to make a good save from Blake-Tracy at the first of them.

Both sides had their second-half chances until McGuinness effectively settled the tie with 20 minutes to go.

Sydie Peck had a shot from distance deflected just wide and Reed hit a free-kick conceded by Tom Cannon tracking back over.

Chong's replacement, debutant Romelle Donovan, got into a shooting position on the edge of the area, but totally over-egged it.

Rhys Oates took the ball around Cooper, but with too heavy a touch to score or even keep the ball in.

When Seriki's cross cleared former Bradford City goalkeeper Harry Lewis, Sweeney need not have put the ball behind for a corner but in fairness to him, was not to know. McGuinness powered his header in from the flag kick for his first Blades goal.

Cannon ought to have got on the scoresheet too. He could be forgiven for shooting over on the turn when fed by substitute Ryan One, but he took too long over and O'Hare pass and Mansfield got a block in.

But O'Hare got on the scoresheet, finishing after One nodded a Donovan cross back.

Matt Doherty made a Blades debut too, when Seriki went off with what looked like a muscle injury. The problems are mounting for a manager who had his name sung by the away end. He needs more support with doubts over whether he will be allowed to reinvest any of the just £8m plus add-ons Coventry City will pay to take back Hamer, there was at least something to smile about.

Mansfield Town: Lewis; Oshilaja, Blake-Tracy, Sweeney (Hewitt, 60), McLaughlin (Moriah-Welsh 74); Akins, Russell, Reed, Hendry (Thompson 60); Roberts (Oates HT) McGoldrick (Smith 74). Unused substitutes: RKnoyle, Roberts, Maris.

Sheffield United: Cooper; Seriki (Doherty 84), Tanganga, McGuinness, Norrington-Davies (Burrows HT); (Donovan 29), Peck, Rothwell (Arblaster 70), O'Hare; Cannon, Bamford (One 70). Unused substitutes: Davies, Campbell, Baptiste, Riedewald.

Referee: S Martin.