By Deadbat
Amidst the fog that enveloped the Reebok Stadium, Sheffield United limped meekly out of the FA Cup in a 2-0 defeat by Bolton Wanderers in a listless FA Cup fourth-round tie.
The first half had seen few chances and few moments of real quality but shortly after the break, poor defending led to a goal by the full-back Gretar Steinsson to give the home side the lead. The Blades struggled to create a chance of note and shortly before the end Johan Elmander fired in a copycat second goal to kill the game off.
The Blades had to make a late change as Marcel Seip tore his hamstring in the warm up and was replaced by Jonathan Fortune. United also changed their frontline, with Cresswell and Evans replaced by Camara and Henderson.
Bolton fielded a strong line-up with Blades fan Kevin Davies captaining the side and spearheading the attack and former Blade Gary Cahill anchoring the backline.
There were large gaps in the home sections of the stadium but the visitors were buoyed by a large following as the game began mostly in the home side’s half. Camara had a shot blocked and then another effort that whizzed wide of Jaaskelainen’s right hand post.
United had a great chance when Montgomery threaded the ball through to put Camara in on goal but, as the keeper advanced, the striker lobbed the ball over Jaaskelainen but also over the bar.
Bolton won two corners in quick succession and two free-kicks in dangerous areas but the only chances they created were headers from Cahill and Klasnic that were off-target. Lee and Klasnic both went to ground in the last stages of the half but were not penalised for theatrical attempts to win penalty kicks.
The fog showed no signs of lifting as the second half began, and Bolton were soon ahead. Davies played in Steinsson down the right flank where Taylor was dragged out of position and Quinn failed to track his runner; the Icelandic full-back cut in on goal and, under no challenge, hit a low shot that seemed to go under Bunn’s body at the near post.
It was a sloppy goal to concede but it inspired the Premier League side to better football. United could not make much headway with Lee continuing to threaten down the right flank, as Bolton sought to put Taylor under pressure at every opportunity.
Ward and Cresswell came on for Williamson and Quinn as United tried to get more players forward. Ward dragged two shots wide after some nice play, and Henderson’s cross was just flicked off Camara’s head, but time was rapidly running out and United had still yet to test Jaaskelainen.
Camara was replaced by Evans but shortly after Bolton sealed their win. Once again, the chance was created down United’s left-hand side where Elmander broke forward, cut in and fired low past Bunn as United were caught with men forward.
The final minutes of the game saw little action of note as the home side held on to book a comfortable passage into the fifth round.
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