Sheffield United booked their place in the next round of the Carabao Cup with a deserved victory against League One side Wrexham, on a night when the promotion aspirations of both sides were made abundantly clear.
Chris Wilder and Phil Parkinson made a raft of changes each as they look to mount respective promotion charges in the Championship and League One this season, and it was United who emerged victorious on a muggy evening in South Yorkshire which, to be fair, told us little about the credentials both these teams possess this season.
But on the night, it was the hosts who were much the stronger side to secure safe passage to the second round, and Wilder will be heartened by the work his side have done in the first few days of the season, having defeated Preston on the opening night of the Championship season before this win against a tricky Wrexham side who have caused the Blades problems before.
It can often be levied at clubs that their priorities lie away from this competition, and that certainly felt the case here. The two teams made a combined total of 21 changes from their respective opening-weekend victories: only Wrexham’s James McClean survived after their win against Wycombe, while United rotated their entire side.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, it meant the early exchanges here were somewhat scrappy. The hosts fielded a string of young players but it was one of the handful of senior stars who had the best chance inside the opening half-hour, Rhian Brewster striking a shot straight at Callum Burton. Two minutes later though, the deadlock was broken.
The hosts had enjoyed the better opportunities to that point but Wrexham made them pay with a well-worked set piece. McClean’s corner found Dan Scarr unmarked at the back post and his defensive partner, Will Boyle, was on hand to convert from close range and put the visitors ahead.
However, United responded well to that setback and six minutes later, they were level. The equaliser also came from a corner, this time Auston Trusty’s powerful header deemed to have crossed the line despite a frantic last-ditch effort from James Jones to keep the ball out. It was, you could argue, no less than Sheffield United deserved.
They could, and perhaps should, have gone ahead before the break. Corners were a source off opportunities for both sides and Anis Ben Slimane was next to come close, denied by a save from Burton before a rapid counterattack on the stroke of the interval ended with Sebastian Revan narrowly shooting wide at the other end. It was entertaining but at half-time, it was level.
United returned from the break with the greater purpose in their play, however. Wrexham remained a threat from set pieces but you felt if a goal was coming in open play, it would be the hosts who got it. And that moment arrived just before the hour mark when Brewster drilled across goal and the ball was turned in by Lewis Brunt.
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Brewster celebrated as if it was his goal, which was hardly surprising given his pretty dismal record in a Sheffield United shirt to this point. But 10 minutes later he was presented with a glorious opportunity to score without any doubt when he teed up Louie Marsh, before Ben Slimane was fouled in the box to earn the Blades a penalty.
Sydie Peck initially looked as though he would take it before Brewster took matters into his own hands. He desperately needed a goal for his confidence, but Burton denied the striker with a smart save low down to his left. His efforts were in vain as Marsh was on hand to convert the rebound and open up a two-goal buffer for the hosts.
Now chasing the game, Wrexham understandably opened themselves up and introduced a string of more senior attackers including Steven Fletcher to try and salvage the tie. But in truth, they never really looked like forcing a comeback at any point and there was no surprise when, with five minutes to go, the hosts scored again.
Andre Brooks’ corner was headed back across goal by Harry Souttar, and Ben Slimane did the rest from six yards out to round off a decent evening’s work for Wilder and his side, before a consolation for Revan in the final seconds.