Sheffield Utd v Birmingham

Sheffield Utd 0

FT 90 +4
HT 0-2

Wade Elliott scores the third goal for Birmingham

Adam Rooney scored twice as Birmingham sealed their passage to the FA Cup fifth round with a comfortable victory over Sheffield United.

Highly rated 17-year-old Nathan Redmond fired in from the edge of the area following Jordon Mutch's corner.

Adam Rooney doubled the lead before half-time from Chris Burke's cross.

Although the Blades hit the woodwork, Wade Elliott sealed it from 20 yards when his shot was deflected in, with Rooney adding his second late on.

Despite the eventual margin of victory, the hosts had started strongly with Ched Evans twice going close and they also threatened briefly after half-time.

BOGEY MAN

Wade Elliott was on target against the Blades when Burnley beat them 1-0 in the 2009 Championship play-off

Yet once Redmond had put the visitors ahead, they never looked back.

Rooney's first goal gave Birmingham breathing space although, after the restart, Lee Williamson hit the bar and Lowton's follow-up effort bounced back off the post.

But the League One side's first defeat in nine home games was ensured when Elliott rifled home, with Rooney turning in David Murphy's cross to add the gloss.

Chris Hughton's side, who are sixth in the Championship, have now gone nine games unbeaten.

Birmingham manager Chris Hughton:

"It was a real good all-round performance. I'm as delighted with the clean-sheet and the performance as I am with the goals.

"They were certainly a threat but then we got into our rhythm and the timing of our goals was important.

"We're enjoying playing football and that breeds a certain amount of confidence."

Sheffield United manager Danny Wilson tells BBC Radio Sheffield:

"The score line wasn't a 4-0, we appreciate that, but we are still out of the cup.

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"But we don't take too much disappointment from the performance, the result was that because they produced better clinical finishes in situations that they had better than we did when we had those situations and obviously that's the difference between the quality of the two teams.

"If you look at the first three goals we are in the ascendancy. We're pushing the game and all of a sudden we've been hit by the sucker punch.

"The first goal from the corner, it's a bit of quick thinking from their point of view and slow thinking from ours, but prior to that corner we're pushing very hard to get that first goal and that would have made the big difference, as it did."

Lineup, Bookings (2) & Substitutions (5)

Sheffield Utd

01 Simonsen
02 Lowton
03 Lescinel (Williams - 60' )
15 Collins
19 Maguire
08 Doyle
14 Williamson
27 McDonald Booked
28 Quinn (Flynn - 72' )
09 Evans
17 Cresswell (Porter - 72' )

Substitutes

25 Long
06 Ertl
30 Williams
04 Montgomery
11 Flynn
22 Philliskirk
21 Porter

Birmingham City

13 Doyle
03 Murphy
04 Caldwell
23 Spector
24 Davies
07 Burke (Gnahore - 80' )
12 Mutch (Reilly - 80' )
14 Gomis
15 Elliott Booked
22 Redmond
17 Rooney

Substitutes

26 Butland
05 Pablo
18 Fahey
20 Valles
34 Gnahore
35 Reilly
19 Zigic

Ref: Mason

Att: 18,072

Match Stats

Possession 46 54

Shots

11 8

On target

5 4

Corners

6 4

Fouls

7 15

Live Text Commentary

80:54

Free kick awarded for a foul by Wade Elliott on Ryan Flynn. The free kick is swung in right-footed by Lee Williamson, Curtis Davies makes a clearance.

90:00 +3:09 Full time

Full Time The match has reached full-time.

90:00 +2:02

Ryan Flynn fouled by Jonathan Spector, the ref awards a free kick. Direct strike on goal from the free kick comes in from Lee Williamson, Colin Doyle makes a save.

90:00 +1:04

Free kick awarded for a foul by Ched Evans on Wade Elliott. Free kick taken by Colin Doyle.

90:00 +0:46

Foul by Wade Elliott on Marcus Williams, free kick awarded. Michael Doyle restarts play with the free kick.

90:00 +0:04

Harry Maguire challenges Morgaro Gomis unfairly and gives away a free kick. Steven Caldwell takes the direct free kick.