West Ham 1 Sheffield United 1 (Blades win 5-4 on pens): Doyle holds his nerve to send Hammers crashing out

WEST HAM UNITED’S fans taunted their Sheffield United counterparts with chants about Carlos Tevez – only to see their latest big-money signing miss the decisive penalty after an even Capital One Cup tie at Upton Park.
Sheffield United's players celebraste their penalty shoot-out win at West Ham. Picture: Martyn Harrison.Sheffield United's players celebraste their penalty shoot-out win at West Ham. Picture: Martyn Harrison.
Sheffield United's players celebraste their penalty shoot-out win at West Ham. Picture: Martyn Harrison.

This was the first meeting of the two sides since the Blades were relegated, largely thanks to Tevez’s goals at West Ham – only for a legal wrangle over the Argentina international’s ownership leading to the Hammers paying out almost £30m in compensation.

There are now two divisions separating the clubs but it was Nigel Clough’s team who made it through to the third round after Enner Valencia, a £14msigning from Pachuca, was the only player to miss his spot-kick as tie could not be decided in normal time.

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Stewart Downing lauded the depth of the squad now at Sam Allardyce’s disposal but, with the West Ham manager making nine changes, his side struggled to show the class to see off a spirited Blades side – themselves no slouches in terms of Cup runs after reaching the semi-finals of the FA Cup last season under Clough, only to be defeated by Yorkshire rivals Hull City.

Diafra Sakho was quiet but managed to put the Barclays Premier League side ahead with a well-taken first-half header, only for Winston Reid – handed the captain’s armband for the evening by Allardyce – to score an unfortunate second-half own goal.

There were few chances created by either side thereafter as the game meandered into extra-time and, eventually, a penalty shoot-out.

Both sides converted their opening four spot-kicks before Valencia, who had wasted a couple of good chances earlier in the night, saw his low effort saved by Blades’ impressive goalkeeper Mark Howard.

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Blades’ captain Michael Doyle then stepped up and held his nerve to seal the win to the delight of Clough and his players.

West Ham: Jaaskelainen, Demel, Reid, Burke, Potts, Morrison (Noble 98), Diame, Poyet, Vaz Te (Zarate 79), Valencia, Sakho (Downing 63). Unused substitutes: Lee, Spiegel, Oxford, Page.

Sheffield United: Howard, Alcock, Collins, McGahey, Harris (McEveley 73), Basham, Doyle, Davies, Baxter (Wallace 100), Flynn (Campbell-Ryce 84), McNulty. Unused substitutes: Murphy, Higdon, Reed, Turner.

Referee: James Linington (Isle of Wight).