Sheffield United 4 Cardiff City 1: No semi-final, but James McAtee and Tommy Doyle show their worth as Blades move a step closer

At the start of what they hope will be a four-match odyssey to automatic promotion at beautiful downtown Bramall Lane as they call it – unless there are favours elsewhere - the first part was successfully signed off by Sheffield United - with a hint of swagger by the end.

Last weekend’s encounter with a fellow struggler to Cardiff City in Wigan Athletic was taut at S2. There were nerves here - unnecessarily so at times - but United, inspired by the two of the division’s best young players in James McAtee and Iliman Ndiaye ended it at a canter.

All this on a day when they went behind. A momentary hitch.

They ended the day with a spring stroll. Four goals to the good.

Manchester City duo McAtee and Tommy Doyle will be ineligible for next Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final against their parent club, sadly.

But their contribution seven days before that Wembley meeting will give them something to remember this weekend.

McAtee went solo to fire the hosts’ 24th-minute equaliser to cancel out Sory Kaba’s penalty six minutes earlier.

Doyle’s cross to set up United’s second on 54 minutes from Jack Robinson was worth the admission money alone.

Ndiaye, surprisingly overlooked on the EFL player-of-the-season shortlist, was, well, Ndiaye. He is now the club’s top-scorer on 14 after pulling one clear of Oli McBurnie when he cashed in on a ghastly error from ex-Sheffield Wednesday loanee Mark McGuiness to make the game safe at 3-1.

Gloss arrived when substitute Ciaran Clark bundled in a late fourth as United took another step closer to the Promised Land.

There was a significant home change aside from the expected one which saw Adam Davies handed his first league start since late October in place of the suspended Wes Foderhingham.

Anel Ahmedhodzic missed out with his partner due to give birth, meaning that George Baldock switched to the right-hand side of back three, with Max Lowe returning from illness at left wing-back.

United’s other change saw McAtee start ahead of Oli Norwood and both Lowe and McAtee were central figures as the game burst into life.

Encouraged by the hosts’ quiet start, Cardiff started to gain confidence and it culminated in their 18th minute opener.

Baldock had to be alert to clear after Jaden Philogene dispossessed Jack Robinson and sent over a dangerous cross which was otherwise destined for Kion Etete in front - but the Blades then got themselves in a pickle from the resulting corner and especially Lowe, who had a brain-storm.

His clumsy high boot which caught Jack Simpson was a cast-iron penalty and Kaba kept his cool to fire the ball right down the middle past Davies to register his fifth goal in seven outings.

The Bluebirds, who had gone close earlier when Davies made a sharp save at his near post to keep out Ryan Wintle’s shot, were seemingly set fair, aided by some panicky tendencies at the back from United, maybe unnerved by Ahmedhodzic’s absence.

But McAtee, the hosts’ lively player early on, soon took matters into his own hands.

Collecting the ball off Sander Berge, the loanee sensed an opportunity to drive inside with Andy Rinomhota having temporarily switched off.

It proved all the opportunity McAtee needed as he manufactured a good position after wriggling inside too easily and saw his low shot beat Ryan Allsop for a relieving leveller six minutes after the Bluebirds’ breakthrough.

United’s other inclusion in Davies also made a name for himself in first-half stoppage-time, making a big save to deny Joe Ralls from point-blank range after the home defence switched off after Etete won a header.

At the interval, it was finely poised and also decidedly niggly, with home fans incensed when a challenge on McAtee went unpunished, while Simpson, skating on thin ice after an early booking, did not receive a second yellow following two more fouls.

The impish skills of McAtee were United’s best hope, while Ndiaye also showed his threat as the half progressed, testing Ryan Allsop with two well-struck drives.

Simpson, sensibly, was substituted at the break to save himself from an inevitable dismissal.

His replacement in Callum O’Dowda also found himself on a caution earlier in the second period for a foul on McAtee and not too long after, United were ahead.

Robinson got the glory with an emphatic header, but the precursor to that was a quite wonderful right-wing cross from Doyle, which simply begged to be converted - and it was.

It was a half which saw United look more like their usual selves in these parts and display control. It became the sort of game that many probably expected beforehand with a side going for promotion holding sway over one towards the bottom.

Cardiff’s main threat was the mercurial Philogene, who cut inside and saw a fizzing drive fly just over.

Despite the hosts being in the ascendancy, the mood of most of the crowd was tense. It was reinforced when Cardiff went close to levelling out of nothing.

First, Davies denied Rinomhota, with substitute Connor Wickham - jeered for his Sheffield Wednesday failing to convert the loose ball.

The striker almost deadened the home fans moments later when his thumping shot shuddered the woodwork. Fate smiled on the red and white half of the city.

There was soon more comfort among Unitedites, when McGuinness’s shot pass sold Allsop and Ndiaye gleefully rounded the Cardiff keeper before whacking the ball into the empty net. Job done, with Clark adding a fourth with this result also pleasing Rotherham United and Huddersfield Town.

Sheffield United: A Davies; Baldock, Egan, Robinson; Bogle (Clark 79), Berge, Doyle (Norwood 79), Lowe; Ndiaye (Jebbison 82), McAtee (Fleck 75); McBurnie (Sharp 81). Substitutes unused: Dewhurst, Arblaster.

Cardiff City: Allsop; Ng, Kipre, McGuinness; Simpson (O’Dowda 45), Rinomhota, Wintle, Ralls; Philogene; Etete (Wickham 61), Kaba. Substitutes unused: Romeo, Ojo, Sawyers, Alnwick, M Davies.

Referee: D Webb (Co.Durham).

Attendance: 27,768.