Port Vale 2-1 Sheffield United: Vale sink blunt Blades

Port Vale produced an impressive first-half performance and held firm after the break to claim a deserved 2-1 victory over Sheffield United.

Vale made a confident start and took the lead in the 17th minute after United goalkeeper Mark Howard saved Colin Daniel's initial header.

The loose ball fell back into the path of Daniel, who played a square pass for Byron Moore to sweep a low left-foot shot into the centre of goal from six yards.

Defender Richard Duffy denied Billy Sharp an equaliser shortly afterwards, but Vale dominated the rest of the first half and deservedly doubled their lead just before the interval.

Uche Ikpeazu swept past a couple of half-hearted challenges to crash a right-foot shot from 18 yards, which struck the underside of the crossbar on its way into the right-hand side of Howard's net.

United brought on Terry Kennedy and Che Adams at half-time and should have reduced the arrears within two minutes when Vale keeper Jak Alnwick saved Sharp's shot from point-blank range.

Vale responded and almost added a third in the 67th minute when Daniel's 14-yard strike rattled the crossbar.

The visitors then pulled a goal back with virtually the last kick of the match, when substitute Matt Done spun to fire a left-foot shot into the right-hand corner of Alnwick's net from the edge of the six-yard box.