Sheffield United 2-0 Charlton Athletic

Two goals in three second-half minutes from Ryan Flynn and John Brayford took League One Sheffield United to a Wembley FA Cup semi-final.

Nigel Clough's side became the first third-tier side to reach the last four since Wycombe Wanderers in 2001.

After Callum Harriott had missed from seven yards for Championship side Charlton, midfielder Flynn stretched to poke in Jose Baxter's bouncing cross.

Full-back Brayford quickly added a second with a 25-yard deflected shot.

The victory was United's ninth in a row in all competitions, and means a first FA Cup semi-final since 2003 for the Blades.

Clough's team have become the big story of this season's competition, having already knocked out two Premier League sides - Aston Villa and Fulham - plus Championship side Nottingham Forest on their run to the quarter-finals.

"In the end, Sheffield United deserved it. Very little happened in the first half, but the two quick goals after the break buoyed them. Once the second goal went in, that was game over.

"One of the best things about the day was they way the crowd were. It wasn't a great game, but it was a great atmosphere."

In front of a sell-out crowd at Bramall Lane, there were few chances during a first half in which the tension appeared to get to both sets of players.

Charlton striker Marcus Tudgay's deflected shot, turned aside by home keeper Mark Howard after half an hour, was the first effort on goal of any note.

At the other end, United's on-loan Liverpool midfielder Conor Coady had a goal ruled out for offside, and defender Bob Harris drove a shot just over, having been set up by Harry Maguire.

Centre-back Maguire's shot on the turn hit the side netting early in the second half, before Harriott passed up a great chance to fire Charlton towards their first FA Cup semi-final since they last won the trophy in 1947.

Tudgay cut the ball back from the by-line, but Harriott turned his shot wide on the stretch from seven yards.

The Blades then took advantage of that miss to score twice in quick succession, with Flynn turning in the opening goal from six yards with the sole of his boot after Baxter's cross from the left unstitched the Charlton defence.

Almost straight away, the lead was doubled as full-back Brayford's low shot from outside the penalty area was deflected past keeper Ben Hamer.

Coady thought he had added a third from close range as the ball rebounded to him off a post, but was again ruled offside.

Blades keeper Howard turned away a late shot from Charlton's Iran international substitute Reza Ghoochannejhad late on, but the visitors failed to mount a comeback.

Sheffield United boss Nigel Clough:

"We were nervous in the first 20 minutes and it was important to get in 0-0 at half-time.

"The atmosphere, it saps you when you're not used to it and a lot of players playing in this sort of thing for the first time, this atmosphere takes your energy and it takes your breath away at times.

"To get to this stage as a League One club in the semi-final is an incredible achievement."

Charlton boss Chris Powell:

"Obviously there was the opportunity to go to Wembley and credit to Sheffield United.

"We had the chance to break the deadlock. Really that's the game-changer for me because they then went 1-0 up and a deflected second goal and that's two in two minutes.

"That left us with a big mountain to climb and sadly we couldn't get enough flowing to get ourselves back into it."

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Sheff Utd

• 1Howard
• 4Brayford
• 3Harris
• 17Coady
• 5Maguire
• 15Collins
• 7FlynnBooked at 14minsSubstituted forMcGinnat 90'minutes
• 8Doyle
• 11BaxterBooked at 80minsSubstituted forDaviesat 81'minutes
• 21ScougallSubstituted forPorterat 86'minutes
• 23Murphy

Substitutes

• 6Hill
• 9Porter
• 12Miller
• 14McGinn
• 22Davies
• 25Long
• 28Freeman

Charlton

• 1Hamer
• 23WilsonSubstituted forGhoochanneijhadat 71'minutes
• 16Wiggins
• 39PoyetSubstituted forGreenat 71'minutes
• 5Morrison
• 15Wood
• 24Cousins
• 4JacksonBooked at 39mins
• 9ChurchSubstituted forAjdarevicat 65'minutes
• 18Tudgay
• 11HarriottBooked at 71mins

Substitutes

• 2Hughes
• 6Dervite
• 7Green
• 8Ghoochanneijhad
• 21Thuram-Ulien
• 25Nego
• 42Ajdarevic

Referee:

Lee Mason

Attendance:

30,048

Match Stats

Home TeamSheff UtdAway TeamCharlton

Possession

Home43%

Away57%

Shots

Home13

Away8

Shots on Target

Home2

Away2

Corners

Home3

Away4

Fouls

Home7

Away15

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Sheffield United 2, Charlton Athletic 0.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+5'

Second Half ends, Sheffield United 2, Charlton Athletic 0.

Posted at 90'+4'

Corner, Charlton Athletic. Conceded by Mark Howard.

Posted at 90'+4'

Attempt saved. Reza Ghoochanneijhad (Charlton Athletic) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Rhoys Wiggins.

Posted at 90'+3'

Attempt blocked. Astrit Ajdarevic (Charlton Athletic) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Rhoys Wiggins.

Posted at 90'+1'

Foul by Richard Wood (Charlton Athletic).

Posted at 90'+1'

Harry Maguire (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Substitution

Posted at 90'

Substitution, Sheffield United. Stephen McGinn replaces Ryan Flynn.

Posted at 88'

Foul by Reza Ghoochanneijhad (Charlton Athletic).

Posted at 88'

Ben Davies (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 87'

Offside, Sheffield United. Jamie Murphy tries a through ball, but Chris Porter is caught offside.

Substitution

Posted at 86'

Substitution, Sheffield United. Chris Porter replaces Stefan Scougall.

Posted at 84'

Attempt blocked. Ryan Flynn (Sheffield United) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Stefan Scougall.

Posted at 81'

Callum Harriott (Charlton Athletic) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 81'

Foul by Ryan Flynn (Sheffield United).

Substitution

Posted at 81'

Substitution, Sheffield United. Ben Davies replaces Jose Baxter.

Booking

Posted at 80'

Jose Baxter (Sheffield United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 79'

Danny Green (Charlton Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 79'

Foul by Jose Baxter (Sheffield United).

Posted at 78'

Corner, Charlton Athletic. Conceded by Robert Harris.

Posted at 77'

Offside, Sheffield United. Stefan Scougall tries a through ball, but Conor Coady is caught offside.

Posted at 76'

Foul by Rhoys Wiggins (Charlton Athletic).

Posted at 76'

Ryan Flynn (Sheffield United) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 74'

Attempt missed. Ryan Flynn (Sheffield United) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right following a corner.

Posted at 74'

Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Richard Wood.

Posted at 74'

Attempt blocked. Jamie Murphy (Sheffield United) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Robert Harris.

Posted at 73'

Attempt blocked. Jose Baxter (Sheffield United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by John Brayford.

Booking

Posted at 71'

Callum Harriott (Charlton Athletic) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 71'

Foul by Callum Harriott (Charlton Athletic).

Posted at 71'

Stefan Scougall (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Substitution

Posted at 71'

Substitution, Charlton Athletic. Danny Green replaces Diego Poyet.

Substitution

Posted at 71'

Substitution, Charlton Athletic. Reza Ghoochanneijhad replaces Lawrie Wilson.

Posted at 70'

Attempt missed. Astrit Ajdarevic (Charlton Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Diego Poyet.

Goal!

Posted at 67'

Goal! Sheffield United 2, Charlton Athletic 0. John Brayford (Sheffield United) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Jamie Murphy.

Goal!

Posted at 65'

Goal! Sheffield United 1, Charlton Athletic 0. Ryan Flynn (Sheffield United) right footed shot from very close range to the top left corner. Assisted by Jose Baxter with a cross.

Substitution

Posted at 65'

Substitution, Charlton Athletic. Astrit Ajdarevic replaces Simon Church.

Posted at 64'

Attempt missed. Marcus Tudgay (Charlton Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Callum Harriott.

Posted at 61'

Foul by Richard Wood (Charlton Athletic).

Posted at 61'

Conor Coady (Sheffield United) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 59'

Attempt missed. Callum Harriott (Charlton Athletic) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Marcus Tudgay with a cross following a set piece situation.

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