The U's today picked up a point at home to the Blades. The U's goals came from Kevin Lisbie and a Johnnie Jackson defected freekick.

Like the opening day at Bramall Lane, these two United’s shared four goals this afternoon. Luton Shelton put The Blades ahead just before halftime but Kevin Lisbie's strike restored parity a minute after the break. Johnnie Jackson's free-kick deflected off the all to put the U's ahead but slack marking, and a decent finish from Carney pulled Sheffield back to level terms two minutes later.

A point against Sheffield United might look good on paper but the U's desperately needed more from their encounter with the former Premiership side. That said, the result was just about fair to both sides, though the U's will have felt that they should have had a first half penalty after Ugo Ehiogu's reckless challenge on Kevin Lisbie.

United gave three of their transfer window signings their home debut though Scott Vernon - his transfer made official on Friday - would have to wait until introduced from the substitutes bench. Phil Ifil and Chris Coyne were part of a back four which had been completely re-organised since the U's last league game against Blackpool with John White now at left back, and Adam Virgo retaining his place at centre-half. Kevin Lisbie and Clive Platt were up front with Luke Guttridge unfortunate to be dropped from the side. Jackson and Izzet made up the central midfielders with Karl Duguid on the right, and Mark Yeates popping up on the left hand side.

Former England captain Bryan Robson could count on years of experience in his team with veteran's Gary Speed and Ugo Ehiogu both selected. Six million pound man James Beattie was on the bench following injury but there was no place for Lee Hendrie. With Keith Gillespie, Matthew Kilgallon & Michael Tonge on the Blades bench, the U's could only look on with green eyes.

The opening moments of the match began quietly with neither side really making any headway. Lisbie headed Jackson's free kick wide before the former Spurs man dragged a shot past Paddy Kenny's far post.

The U's were then denied a penalty by referee Hill after a reckless challenge by Ehiogu. Lisbie was just about to collect the ball on his chest after Izzet's ball in to the box when the former England & Aston Villa came from behind to knock him away from the ball. If the incident had occurred near the halfway line, then it was a free-kick every time, but Hill - who has never inspired confidence at the best of times - waved away the U's appeals. For me, not only was it a spot-kick, but Ehiogu should have been shown a red card as his challenge was edging on violent.

U's fans ire was increasing as referee Hill allowed Lee Martin to get in to the U's box following what appeared a blatant handball by Jon Stead. Thankfully, Dean Gerken was equal to the man on loan from Manchester United's poor shot.

Lisbie and Platt were starting to combine nicely as the latter fired across goal for a corner. Chris Coyne appeared to get up highest and head towards goal but his effort was headed off the line at the far post. Yeates was the next to see a chance cleared from the six yard box following his free-kick while Lisbie just couldn't direct a rebound back towards goal as the U's edged near their first goal at home in the League since Boxing Day.

However, the U's luck turned towards the good as Mr Hill and his Assistant's ruled in the home sides favour. It was Jon Stead who was the unlucky man as he raced on to the ball before slotting past Dean Gerken and in to the net. He was, quite clearly, in an offside position when he received the ball, but the last touch had come from a U's man and the goal should have stood.

Ifil, enjoying a steady first half, then came to the Essex club's rescue as he prevented The Blades taking the lead. From a corner, Gerken wasn't sure whether to come for the ball at the far post or not, and got caught in no-man's land. Morgan headed the ball goalwards only for Ifil's diving header to clear the ball to safety. Ehiogu got a toe on to Lee Martin's excellent set piece to poke the ball over the bar but the goal they were after came seconds before the break.

It came courtesy of a quick break from Sheffield (the team that is, not the city!). Duguid's attempted pass from a U's corner was cut out and the ball played forward towards Luton Shelton. The former Helsingborgs man held off the challenge of Izzet before going past Ifil's challenge and planting the ball past Gerken. The visitors had sneaked a goal that perhaps on balance of play they didn't quite deserve so it was upsetting that members of the U's crowd decided that this was the moment to turn upon the side and cast them as relegation certainties. On the first half performance that wasn't the case as the U's had given as good as they had - they'd just been caught by a sucker punch from a squad player who cost more than the U's had paid in transfer fees all season.

If the experts say scoring a goal before the break is the best time to score a goal, then I say it isn't - and thanks to Kevin Lisbie I can explain why. United's first goal, just a minute after the re-start was similar to the U's in that it caught their opponents on the break. Lisbie was clearly onside from Izzet's through ball and after one touch, volleyed the ball past Kenny and in to the roof of the net. Now, everything Bryan Robson had said in the previous fifteen minutes about keeping things tight, and not gifting us chances, had been thrown out of the dressing room window and that why the early moments of the second half are the best times to score.

Robson had made a change at the break with Chris Armstrong replacing the disappointing Gary Speed in the middle of the Blades midfield. Sheffield's Australian midfielder David Carney was allowed to run to far in to the U's box before his shot took a deflection off Izzet's heels for a corner as the Yorkshire outfit tried to get back into the lead.

At the back though the Blades looked shaky. Ifil's ball in to the box was allowed to bounce by Ehiogu right in to the six yard box but Lisbie couldn't quite get a boot on the ball to divert it past Kenny who instead hacked it away to safety. Another Ifil centre was flicked wide by the ever-willing Clive Platt who must have enjoyed his physical battle with the former England defender.

A long-ball forward from Sheffield again caught the U's on the break with Shelton bearing down towards goal. Dean Gerken came a helluva long way out and was fortunate that as Shelton tried to push the ball past him, he blocked the ball with his feet.

The U's were forced into a substitution after ten minutes of the second half as Mark Yeates appeared to dislocate his shoulder following a tussle with a Blades midfielder. Scott Vernon, signed from Blackpool for a fee believed to be six figures, was his replacement with Kevin Lisbie moving to the left-wing as Williams went for the three points.

That second goals came on 64 minutes and perhaps the U's finally got some of the luck that this season seems to be against them. Referee Hill awarded a free kick to the U's for a foul on Platt some twenty-five yards out and centrally placed. Jackson's left footed effort appeared to strike someone in the wall and with Kenny going left, rolled in to his opposite corner of the net with the keeper having no chance to get back. The goal has been awarded to as an own goal by Chris Armstrong.

So could the U's hold on and grab only their third home win of the season against one of the bigger sides in the Division. Sadly not as their visitors laid temporary siege to Gerken's goal. The U's keeper had to bright to prevent Shelton finishing a mazy run with a goal but just seconds later, the U's switched off momentarily and it was to prove fatal.

The Blades won a thrown in on their left. A lone midfielder was given the opportunity to find some space, and turn before being put under any real pressure from a blue and white shirt. I'm not sure who the midfielder was but he threaded the ball through to Carney inside the box who took one touch to turn, and another to fire past Dean Gerken in to the far corner of the net.

Then followed an incident between Lisbie and Paddy Kenny which saw the U's striker hit the deck but both players received yellow cards which, given Ehiogu's brutal challenge on the U's front man in the first half, seemed harsh.

Robson - who played for Manchester United at Layer Road in a 3rd Round League Cup Match back in the early 80's - then brought on James Beattie in place of goal scorer Carney but it was always the pacy Luton Shelton who looked most likely to find a winner for the former England manager's side.

U's debutant Scott Vernon was certainly very bright for the home side, linking up play well and causing the visitors problems, though Kenny's save from his edge of the box volley was pretty routine. Virgo cleared a scramble inside the U's box to safety while U's fans appealed for a back pass after Geary's toe poke back to his keeper under pressure from Lisbie. It looked pretty clear cut that the defender had deliberately attempted to get the ball back to his keeper, but referee Hill was having none of it.

Lee Martin - making his second appearance of the season at Layer Road following his earlier loan spell with Plymouth Argyle - was replaced by Michael Tonge who had scored on the opening day against the U's at Bramall Lane.

In the final minutes both side had long range shots that hit the netting - though in Sheffield's case it was the Aaron Skelton Memorial netting while the U's found the netting above the Clock End working as it should. The last clear cut chance saw Jackson head Lisbie's cross wide but in truth two all was a fair reflection of the game.

U's fans should be heartened by this performance which was miles better than that seen against both Blackpool & Peterborough. If they can continue in this vein, then I see no reason why they cannot win the majority of their home fixtures remaining. However, U's fans must retain some faith in their side, and not get on the backs as soon as they concede. I heard at least two people say that the U's were as good as down following Shelton's goal - and that just isn't the case. If you believe that - then I'm sorry, but I don't think the club needs your particular brand of support.

Shot of the Match: In a game of few shots that actually carried any threat, Vernon's late volley was technically excellent.

Save of the Match: Gerken saved Martin's shot when he was one on one but in truth, the on loan midfielder gave him far too much of a chance.

Moment of the Match: Probably the Assistant's decision to rule Jon Stead offside when he had been played through by a U's touch. If he'd gone on and scored, the U's might well have struggled to recover from two down.

Man of the Match: Quite a few contenders today for a change and though no one had a particularly bad game, I'll rule out Gerken, Lisbie, Yeates, Duguid and Vernon as being good, but not good enough to win my vote. White was very steady at left back while Izzet and Jackson where tenacious in midfield with both having a hand in the U's goals. Platt had a right old tussle with Ehiogu and it’s difficult to say quite who was the winner there which leaves Coyne, Virgo and Phil Ifil. Again, I thought the two debutants had steady games and at times, I was impressed by both. Ifil looks a little short of match fitness but looks a good acquisition ahead of next season whichever Division we are in, while Coyne dealt with Stead in a quite unassuming manner and organised the defence. However, my MOTM goes to a man who I've had a got at on her in the past in Adam Virgo. He really put himself about today and won most of the aerial challenges in he went for. It was the sort of battling performance that the U's will need in the up and coming months if they are to get out of the relegation places by May.

Colchester: Gerken, White, Coyne, Virgo, Ifil, Duguid, Jackson, Izzet, Yeates (Vernon 56), Platt, Lisbie. Subs Not Used: Cousins, Watson, Sheringham, Balogh.

Booked: Lisbie, Ifil.

Goals: Lisbie 46, Armstrong 64 og.

Sheff Utd: Kenny, Geary, Ehiogu, Morgan, Naysmith, Carney (Beattie 72), Speed (Armstrong 46), Quinn, Martin (Tonge 81), Stead, Shelton. Subs Not Used: Kilgallon, Gillespie.

Booked: Carney, Kenny.

Goals: Shelton 45, Carney 66.

Att: 5,695.

Ref: Keith Hill (Hertfordshire).

Photo: Action Images

Colchester United Polls