Sheffield United's hold on an automatic promotion place was loosened by a draw with Tranmere Rovers.

The Blades led just after the half-hour mark when Ched Evans scrambled home after good work from Stephen Quinn.

But Lucas Akins headed home John Welsh's corner nine minutes into the second half to level the scores.

Chris Porter and Neill Collins both had chances for the Blades, but their headers were kept out by Rovers keeper Owain Fon Williams.

The result leaves the Blades only above city rivals Sheffield Wednesday and the play-off places on goal difference - and nine points off leaders Charlton.

VIEWS FROM THE DRESSING ROOM

Sheffield United manager Danny Wilson told BBC Radio Sheffield:

"We had a lot of situations today we've not been able to force the ball over the line for that second goal.

"It does happen, you can't be down about it, but you want to win you're home games.

"I think we've had enough chances to out the game safe, but we couldn't force the ball over the line."

Tranmere manager Ronnie Moore told BBC Radio Merseyside:

"It was a great performance from the lads, everyone expected us to get beat and this was one of our bonus points I think.

"What we lack in the ability that they've got, I think, we had more desire, and a willingness to run, chase and harry and that's when you get your rewards.

"We've got to do it all again now on Tuesday and you don't get a breather. Rochdale are near the bottom of the league and Sheffield United are near the top, so it will be just as hard or even harder."

Lineup, Bookings (2) & Substitutions (5)

Sheffield United

  • 01 Simonsen
  • 02 Lowton
  • 15 Collins
  • 19 Maguire
  • 32 Hill (Cresswell - 83' )
  • 08 Doyle
  • 14 Williamson
  • 28 Quinn
  • 07 Hoskins (Beattie - 84' )
  • 09 Evans
  • 21 Porter (Williams - 71' )

Substitutes

  • 13 Howard
  • 30 Williams
  • 04 Montgomery
  • 10 Beattie
  • 17 Cresswell

Tranmere

  • 01 fon Williams Booked
  • 03 Bakayogo (Weir - 87' )
  • 05 Goodison
  • 12 Taylor
  • 15 Holmes
  • 16 Buchanan
  • 08 Welsh
  • 27 Wallace Booked
  • 07 Showunmi
  • 17 Akins
  • 28 Brunt (Cassidy - 66' )

Substitutes

  • 13 Coughlin
  • 04 Labadie
  • 10 Weir
  • 11 Robinson
  • 18 Cassidy
Ref: Mark Heywood
Att: 17,444

Match Stats

Shots

8 11

On target

5 4

Corners

7 6

Fouls

10 11

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +4:04 Full time

Full Time The referee blows for the end of the match.

90:00 +3:11

Centre by Harry Maguire, James Wallace makes a clearance.

90:00 +3:02

The ball is sent over by Marcus Williams, Ian Goodison manages to make a clearance.

90:00 +1:52

The ball is crossed by Neill Collins.

90:00 +1:26

Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Lee Williamson, save by Owain Fon Williams.

90:00 +0:49

Jake Cassidy challenges Stephen Quinn unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Lee Williamson.

89:55

Danny Holmes fouled by Marcus Williams, the ref awards a free kick. Indirect free kick taken by Enoch Showunmi.

88:31

Foul by Ched Evans on James Wallace, free kick awarded. Indirect free kick taken by Owain Fon Williams.

88:15

A cross is delivered by Neill Collins, John Welsh makes a clearance.

86:31 Substitution

Substitution Robbie Weir comes on in place of Zoumana Bakayogo.

86:31

Richard Cresswell challenges John Welsh unfairly and gives away a free kick. Ash Taylor takes the indirect free kick.

85:23

Corner taken right-footed by John Welsh from the right by-line, Headed effort on goal by Jake Cassidy from inside the penalty box misses to the right of the goal.

84:36

A cross is delivered by Lee Williamson, Richard Cresswell takes a shot. Save by Owain Fon Williams.

83:01 Substitution

Substitution (Sheff Utd) makes a substitution, with James Beattie coming on for Will Hoskins.

82:41 Substitution

Substitution Richard Cresswell is brought on as a substitute for Matthew Hill.

82:00

The ball is swung over by Marcus Williams, Ian Goodison manages to make a clearance.

80:33

Foul by Ash Taylor on Ched Evans, free kick awarded. Matthew Hill restarts play with the free kick.

79:43

Centre by Danny Holmes.

78:13

The ball is swung over by Matthew Hill, save by Owain Fon Williams.

77:14

The ball is delivered by Will Hoskins.

76:42

The ball is swung over by Stephen Quinn, Lucas Akins manages to make a clearance. Corner taken by Lee Williamson from the right by-line.

75:58

David Buchanan challenges Stephen Quinn unfairly and gives away a free kick. Lee Williamson takes the indirect free kick.

74:58

The ball is crossed by Lucas Akins.

73:01

Ched Evans takes a shot. Blocked by Ian Goodison.

70:08 Substitution

Substitution (Sheff Utd) makes a substitution, with Marcus Williams coming on for Chris Porter.

69:29 Booking

Booking James Wallace is given a yellow card.

68:58

Foul by James Wallace on Lee Williamson, free kick awarded. Matthew Lowton takes the indirect free kick.

68:28

Matthew Lowton sends in a cross, save made by Owain Fon Williams.

67:58

Jake Cassidy concedes a free kick for a foul on Harry Maguire. Free kick taken by Harry Maguire.

65:42 Substitution

Substitution Jake Cassidy joins the action as a substitute, replacing Ryan Brunt.

64:59

Stephen Quinn fouled by Lucas Akins, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Matthew Hill.

63:48

Enoch Showunmi has an effort at goal from just inside the box that misses to the left of the goal.

63:16

A cross is delivered by Danny Holmes, clearance by Harry Maguire.

61:36

Foul by Stephen Quinn on Danny Holmes, free kick awarded. Danny Holmes takes the free kick.

56:53

Blocked by David Buchanan. Lee Williamson takes the outswinging corner, save by Owain Fon Williams. Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Lee Williamson, John Welsh manages to make a clearance.

56:53 Booking

Booking Owain Fon Williams shown a yellow card.

56:27

The ball is delivered by Chris Porter,

54:00

The assist for the goal came from John Welsh.

54:00 Goal scored

Goal - Lucas Akins - Sheff Utd 1 - 1 Tranmere Lucas Akins scores a headed goal from inside the area. Sheff Utd 1-1 Tranmere.

53:40

Corner taken right-footed by John Welsh,

53:03

Harry Maguire takes a shot. Blocked by Danny Holmes. Free kick awarded for a foul by Harry Maguire on Ash Taylor. Owain Fon Williams restarts play with the free kick.

52:19

Stephen Quinn crosses the ball, Ash Taylor makes a clearance. Lee Williamson takes the inswinging corner, Harry Maguire takes a shot. Danny Holmes gets a block in.

50:07

Ched Evans handles the ball and concedes a free kick. Owain Fon Williams takes the free kick.

49:15

Centre by Lee Williamson, clearance by Danny Holmes.

47:02

Ryan Brunt takes the chance to get an effort at goal and missed to the left of the target.

45:01

The referee blows his whistle to start the second half.

45:00 +4:11 Half time

Half Time The referee blows for half time.

45:00 +3:20

Outswinging corner taken by John Welsh from the right by-line, clearance made by Lee Williamson.

45:00 +3:03

David Buchanan delivers the ball, clearance made by Matthew Hill.

45:00 +2:06

Matthew Lowton sends in a cross, Zoumana Bakayogo manages to make a clearance.

45:00 +0:24

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Stephen Quinn by Lucas Akins. Steve Simonsen restarts play with the free kick.

44:10

Will Hoskins sends in a cross, Owain Fon Williams makes a save.

42:47

John Welsh takes a shot. Blocked by Matthew Hill. Corner from the right by-line taken by David Buchanan, Shot by Ryan Brunt from deep inside the penalty area misses to the right of the goal.

41:40

Corner taken left-footed by David Buchanan from the right by-line, clearance made by Neill Collins.

40:50

The referee penalises Stephen Quinn for handball. Owain Fon Williams takes the indirect free kick.

39:36

Ryan Brunt takes a shot. Steve Simonsen makes a save.

37:47

Lee Williamson delivers the ball, Ian Goodison makes a clearance. Inswinging corner from left by-line taken by Stephen Quinn to short, clearance by Zoumana Bakayogo.

36:07

Foul by Matthew Hill on Enoch Showunmi, free kick awarded. Free kick crossed by John Welsh, clearance made by Neill Collins. Effort on goal by Zoumana Bakayogo from just inside the penalty box goes harmlessly over the target.

32:48

Will Hoskins produces a left-footed shot from the edge of the area and misses to the left of the goal.

32:48

Effort from the edge of the area by Will Hoskins goes wide of the left-hand post.

32:07

The ball is swung over by John Welsh, Neill Collins manages to make a clearance. John Welsh takes the inswinging corner, Steve Simonsen makes a save.

31:34

James Wallace fouled by Chris Porter, the ref awards a free kick. Danny Holmes takes the indirect free kick.

30:07

Stephen Quinn provided the assist for the goal.

30:07 Goal scored

Goal - Ched Evans - Sheff Utd 1 - 0 Tranmere Ched Evans scores a goal from close range low into the middle of the goal. Sheff Utd 1-0 Tranmere.

29:19

Harry Maguire challenges Ryan Brunt unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by John Welsh.

28:40

Centre by Stephen Quinn, John Welsh manages to make a clearance.

28:12

Lucas Akins concedes a free kick for a foul on Michael Doyle. Direct free kick taken by Stephen Quinn.

27:04

Matthew Lowton sends in a cross, Ian Goodison gets a block in. Corner taken right-footed by Stephen Quinn, clearance made by Zoumana Bakayogo.

24:48

Unfair challenge on Ched Evans by Ash Taylor results in a free kick. The ball is swung over by Lee Williamson, Headed effort from deep inside the penalty area by Chris Porter goes harmlessly over the crossbar.

24:34

Enoch Showunmi is adjudged to have handled the ball. Lee Williamson restarts play with the free kick.

18:51

The ball is swung over by Enoch Showunmi, Ryan Brunt has an effort at goal from the edge of the area that misses to the right of the target.

17:24

Foul by Lucas Akins on Will Hoskins, free kick awarded. Steve Simonsen takes the direct free kick.

14:44

The ball is swung over by Danny Holmes, Ryan Brunt concedes a free kick for a foul on Steve Simonsen. Steve Simonsen restarts play with the free kick.

13:02

The ball is crossed by Danny Holmes.

11:58

A cross is delivered by David Buchanan, Harry Maguire manages to make a clearance.

10:03

Stephen Quinn gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Danny Holmes. Owain Fon Williams takes the indirect free kick.

9:48

Enoch Showunmi takes a shot. Harry Maguire gets a block in.

9:33

Matthew Lowton delivers the ball, Danny Holmes manages to make a clearance.

8:45

Stephen Quinn delivers the ball, Ian Goodison manages to make a clearance.

5:51

The ball is sent over by Zoumana Bakayogo.

5:13

The ball is delivered by Lucas Akins, clearance by Harry Maguire.

4:42

Enoch Showunmi fouled by Lee Williamson, the ref awards a free kick. Danny Holmes restarts play with the free kick.

4:18

Long range shot by Enoch Showunmi goes wide right of the target.

3:29

The ball is delivered by Matthew Hill, Chris Porter has an effort at goal from just inside the box that misses to the right of the goal.

0:00

The match gets underway.

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