Sheffield United 3-1 Wrexham: Blades to face Spurs after ending Dragons’ FA Cup runon February 7, 2023 at 9:46 pm

Billy Sharp and Sander Berge score injury-time goals as Sheffield United finally end non-league Wrexham’s FA Cup adventure in a pulsating fourth-round replay.

Mullin had a second spot-kick saved by Adam Davies before Sharp scored deep in stoppage time.

Berge scored United’s third on the counter to set up a fifth-round tie against Tottenham Hotspur.

The Yorkshire club can look forward to hosting Spurs having finally overcome National League title contenders Wrexham after two exhilarating ties.

United had requited John Egan’s stoppage-time equaliser to secure a 3-3 draw and a replay in the original tie and they needed late goals once more at Brammall Lane.

Both managers see promotion as their priority this season and with that in mind the hosts made five changes from the original game, including a full debut for Ismaila Coulibaly.

Wrexham’s line-up showed seven changes from the team which had won 2-1 at Altrincham in their previous National League game.

The hosts, as expected, dominated the early possession although they did not create any clear-cut chances during the opening 10 minutes, while Wrexham looked to attack on the counter.

A good home move saw Iliman Ndiaye playing in James McAtee but his shot did not trouble keeper Rob Lainton, while an Egan header was cleared by a well-disciplined Wrexham defence.

Mullin, looking to add to his tally of eight goals in this season’s competition, tried his luck from the edge of the area with a shot which deflected off Egan.

United responded with a counter-attack and McAtee broke clear, but opted to go alone rather than squaring to Ndiaye and put the ball wastefully wide.

Lainton, who has fought back from a career-threatening wrist injury, made two crucial saves in the space of two minutes to deny Ahmedhodžić’s close-range effort and then Sharp.

Although United looked the more likely of the sides to score, Wrexham comfortably kept them at bay to stay in the game at the break.

Wrexham, now attacking the end housing 4,700 noisy travelling fans, started the second period brightly.

But it was Paul Heckingbttom’s team who went ahead with Ben Osborn combining well on the right- hand side with Ahmedhodžić, who smashed the ball past Lainton for his fifth goal of the season.

Heckingbottom’s men went in search of a second and Sharp was set up by McAtee only to have his effort brilliantly saved.

That missed opportunity proved significant moments later as Mullin was brought down just inside the area by Ahmedhodžić.

Mullin stepped up and hammered the penalty straight down the middle for his 29th goal of the season in all competitions.

Wrexham were awarded a second penalty when substitute Oliver Norwood brought down Mullin, but on this occasion the striker was denied by an excellent save by Wales international Davies.

Mullin’s involvement soon came to and end due to injury, while during the last few minutes of normal time Sharp went close for the home side before having a goal disallowed for offside.

The game was in stoppage time by the time United felt they should have had a penalty when Norwood’s shot was handled.

The referee’s decision to wave play on proved academic as a long clearance found Sharp on the left and he coolly slotted past Lainton.

As Wrexham looked for an equaliser that would have taken the game into extra time, they were hit on the counter and Berge scored a third from close range to seal the win and bring the curtain down on Wrexham’s cup adventure.