Sheffield United 2 Leyton Orient 2: Blades denied by late equaliser

Incessant second-half pressure had brought its reward through Paddy McCarthy’s 90th-minute equaliser which was followed by a stoppage-time headed goal from substitute Marc McNulty.

Orient down to 10 men from the 75th minute when Jobi McAnuff received a second yellow, refused to throw in the towel and Vincelot met Jack Price’s corner to earn a point.

The Blades employed a new-look defence with Jay McEveley and Paddy McCarthy at centre-backs and they fielded Jose Baxter as their lone striker.

Orient mirrored the Blades 4-5-1 formation and after Baxter had twice gone close, running onto through balls, the sides cancelled each other out.

That is until the 38th minute when goalkeeper Mark Howard saw a cross to the near post thud off his chest, allowing Bradley Pritchard to square for Jay Simpson to tap in orient’s opener into an unguarded net.

That is how it stayed until the interval.

The Blades stormed forward after the break and Simpson cleared off the line a fierce header from Craig Alcock following a corner.

Then came the miss of the match as a cross from Baxter was deflected off the far post into the path of James Wallace, who scooped the ball over the bar one yard out.

The Blades were not to be denied, however, with McCarthy slamming the ball home before McNulty appeared to have won the game.