John Carver marked his first game in charge of Sheffield United with a victory against high-flying Swansea City.
Ched Evans slotted past Dorus De Vries in a cool manner after being put clear by Andy Reid to ensure all three points stayed at Bramall Lane. With Richard Cresswell and Daniel Bogdanovic still suspended, Evans began as the lone striker, flanked by the Irish duo of Reid and Mark Yeates in what appeared from the off as a 4-5-1 formation.
The game started with almost a pre-season feel, thanks in part to the Swans steady possession football and also due to the fact that the recent bad weather prevented little more than twenty fans travelling to the game from South Wales.
However, after the steady start the Blades began fighting back, providing some neat interplay when they were in possession, and holding a solid shape off it, stopping Scott Sinclair or Nathan Dyer have any real effect on the game.
Yeates had a half chance he snapped at from the edge of the box which flew wide before Stephen Quinn was put through on goal and finished superbly only to see his effort harshly ruled out by the linesman`s flag.
Scott Sinclair had the visitor`s only chances of the game, twice cutting in from the right to see his effort saved comfortably by Steve Simonsen, and later tried his luck with his left foot, only to see it go high and wide into the back of the Bramall Lane lower tier.
Evans however was the hero of the hour, when he raced between the Swans backline after a superb ball over the top from Reid just before half-time and composed himself before passing the ball through the legs of De Vries.
David Cotterill made a return as a second half substitute, and Danny Batth replaced Evans with just minutes left, but in the end the Blades had done enough to hold on for all three points.
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