Sheffield United 4 Wrexham 2: Sydie Peck emerges as the hero on mixed night for Rhian Brewster

Brewster had a curious night which should have ended with his first two goals since October 2022, firing a first-half shot at goalkeeper Callum Burton, then watching him save a penalty.

But in the striker's defence, the spot kick came about because of his chest control and lay-off to Louie Marsh, who fed Anis Slimane to be fouled. Marsh jumped on the rebound from the saved penalty to make it 3-1.

It was also Brewster who had been largely responsible for the second, dropping off, finding Owen Hampson and running onto his excellent return pass. With no gap to find from a tight angle, he pinged the ball in off Lewis Brunt.

If the churn of players in the League Cup first round is frustrating – pantomime villain James McClean was the only player from either side to start his second game of the season – it can be justified when a youngster shines.

Step forward Peck, a 19-year-old midfielder whose only senior football for the Blades before this season was an 81st-minute substitute appearance in December.

Solid defensively alongside the much shakier Ismailia Coulibaly, he showed quality on the ball too. If Vinicius Souza were to be whisked away late in the transfer window, Peck looks ready to step up, as much as you can on the evidence of one game against lower-division opposition. It will certainly not be the last we see of him in red white and black.

What turned into a comfortable night started ominously, Wrexham hitting a post inside a minute.

Ivo Grbic turned Will Boyle's shot onto the upright after his defence failed to deal with a long throw but once that was out of the way the Blades were much the better side.

They were strong down their right-hand side with Peck and Femi Seriki to the fore. So it was a pity when the latter came off injured just after the 20-minute mark to be replaced by Alfie Gilchrist.

By then Brewster had volleyed over at a corner and a Peck shot was deflected over.

Slimane's effort off target as a a free-kick bounced slightly awkwardly to him and and although his brilliant bit of skill was probably meant for himself, Brewster pounced on it, only to shoot straight at Burton.

But although the flow was largely one way, the naivety of a young Blades side was exposed at times. Theirs is a squad still lacking depth with the transfer deadline little over a fortnight away. Goalkeeper Michael Cooper and winger Jesurun Rak-Sakyi were watching from the stands ahead of transfers.

Wrexham pounced a few times to nick the ball from Coulibaly and took the lead after some weak defending at a corner, Dan Scarr fighting off Auston Trusty at the far post, Boyle unmarked in front of Grbic to tap in.

Trusty did at least make amends from a corner at the other end five minutes later with a header James Jones thought he had cleared off the line but goalline technology did not.

Wrexham had another good chance in first-half stoppage-time, former Rotherham United loanee Seb Revan outmuscling Gilchrist but stabbing the long ball just wide.

Brunt's own goal put the Blades went into the lead for the first time in the 57th minute, and the crowd were delighted when, after teasing them by holding the ball ready to take the spot kick, Peck handed it over to Brewster. He could not give them the goal they wanted but Marsh, injured early in last season's loan at Doncaster Rovers, could.

Owen Hampson might have made it four quickly afterwards, but dragged his shot wide after an excellent Peck pass. Substitute Andre Brooks took his time over a shot, but he too dragged wide.

Harry Souttar was making a constant nuisance of himself at corners, volleying wide from one early in the second half, and headed another across goal in the 85th minute for Slimane to score.

Grbic tipped a late Revan shot over but could not prevent a stoppage-time drive from going through his legs. If it tarnished the scoreline a fraction, it did not matter.

The Blades were through but more importantly, their squad looks stronger tonight than it did this morning, thanks to Peck’s performance and the return from injury of Rhys Norrington-Davies.

Sheffield United: Grbic; Seriki (Gilchrist 21), Souttar, Trusty, Boyes (Norrington-Davies 69); Peck, Coulibaly; Hampson (Brooks 79), Marsh (Hamer 69), Slimane; Brewster (One 69).

Unused substitutes: Davies, Burrows, Robinson, Souza.

Wrexham: Burton; Brunt, Scarr, Boyle; Bolton (Barnett 79), Jones, Evans (Dobson 69), McClean (Marriott 62), Revan; Rathbone (Lee 62); Dalby (Fletcher 62).

Unused substitutes: Cannon, Cleworth, Howard, Palmer.

Referee: K Stroud (Hampshire).