Scunthorpe United completed a league double over the Blades after Paul Hayes goal on the stroke of half-time was enough to give them a 1-0 victory at Bramall Lane.
The Blades, who enjoyed the majority of the play, lacked a cutting edge, and were made to pay for their incompetence up front.
It was two years ago since Scunthorpe last visited Bramall Lane, playing out a 0-0 draw, a game that would be the last at home with Bryan Robson in charge.
Just Stephen Quinn remained in the squad from that miserable Saturday in February, and he was joined in the starting line-up by the returning Darius Henderson and Mark Yeates.
Both teams started slowly with an error filled opening ten minutes. The Blades backline looking increasingly shaky, being let off only by the Iron lacking a clinical edge in the final third.
Yeates and Quinn put a succession of teasing balls into the area, but United’s lack of movement up fron meant that chances began going begging, and when a cross from Richard Cresswell was met at the far post, Mark Yeates headed over.
Defender Paul Connolly had a header cleared off the line, before Kyle Bartley’s inexplicable back-pass required goalkeeper Steve Simonsen to spare his blushes with a fine save at the second time of asking.
Yeates’ free-kick fizzed wide and the Blades were finally punished. Nyron Nosworthy, with chance to clear, did his best to lose possession to Donal McDermott on the right-hand side who cut-back for Hayes to score in front of the Kop, teaching the Blades strikers that movement in the area can pay off.
Senegalese striker Henri Camara replaced James Harper in midfield before Yeates went close with yet another free-kick, before Kevin Blackwell sacrificed him for Glen Little.
The Blades continued to throw balls forward, without ever looking likely to penetrate. Jonathan Forte made his return to Bramall Lane, and almost took advantage of the Blades ineptitude backline as he was allowed to wander between the centre back pairing.
When Darius Henderson finally met a cross with ten minutes remaining, he hit the top of the bar, and Bartley showed his ability in the air, when he headed over with a great chance towards the end.
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