Wrexham 3-3 Sheffield United RECAP: John Egan spares Blades’ blushes with an injury-time equaliser to force replay after Paul Mullin looked to have book FA Cup fifth round spot for non-League side – with owner Ryan Reynolds watching on

Recap Sportsmail’s live blog for the FA Cup fourth-round clash between Wrexham and Sheffield United, with coverage from Max Mathews.

  • Jeorge Bird

    Host commentator

  • Max Mathews

    Host commentator

19:01

MATCH REPORT: Wrexham 3-3 Sheffield United

Aaaaand breathe.

Sportsmail’s match report from that six-goal thriller is below.

That’s all from me – hope you enjoyed it and catch you next time!

18:38

FULL TIME: Wrexham 3-3 Sheffield United

That’s it! What a crazy game. Six goals, a red card, a Hollywood owner, and a Hollywood ending – just not for Wrexham! 

Match report following shortly…

18:34

WOW! WOW! WHAT A CUP TIE! Wrexham 3-3 Sheffield United

90+5: John Egan equalises! The ten men are level again! 

Billy Sharp did really well to win a corner, and it fell to defender Egan, who volleyed it in off his shin. The defender on the line couldn’t do anything about it and it flew into the roof of the net.

The big Irishman shushed the crowd on the way past too and Paul Heckingbottom looks absolutely delighted to have rescued the replay.

What a flipping game. What a competition. We love the FA Cup.

18:32

Wrexham 3-2 Sheffield United

89: Can the fifth-tier side hold on?! Not long to go… Iliman Ndiaye heads it just wide and that could be that.

Four minutes of the seven of added time left…

18:24

GOOOOAAAALLLL! Wrexham 3-2 Sheffield United

86: SURELY THE WINNER! PAUL MULLIN FINALLY NETS AND WREXHAM COULD HAVE WON IT!

Again, Wrexham break quickly and they have three on two. Mullin feeds it to Sam Dalby down the right, who lays a fine low cross back in for Mullin.

The striker – who’s been brilliant – takes a touch and pokes it through the legs of Ahmedhodzic and keeper Davies.

18:21

STUNNED!
18:20

OH MY GOODNESS! OFF THE BAR! Wrexham 2-2 Sheffield United

80: Wow! Inches away! Wrexham wanted handball off the defender but big Ollie Palmer carried on playing, going past Chris Basham and SMASHING it towards goal – but it came off the underside of the bar and out.

So, so close and that could have wrapped up the game. Most neutral fans online are agreeing it was a very harsh decision to send off Jebbison. 

18:18

Here’s that red card incident!

Here’s the BBC view of it. Again, this is without a close up – but it looks very, very soft. Jebbison kind of dangles his leg out and nudges Tozer with it but it looks like the official’s been deceived by Tozer.

Jebbison and boss Heckingbottom looked so confused.

18:16

Wrexham 2-2 Sheffield United

74: Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson responds with a positive change, bringing on attacker Sam Dalby for the booked left wing-back Callum McFadzean.

18:09

RED CARD! Wrexham 2-2 Sheffield United

71: OH MY GOODNESS! OUT OF NOWHERE! There’s a red card, out of nothing, and Sheffield United’s Daniel Jebbison is sent off. Manager Paul Heckingbottom looks utterly nonplussed.

It was an off-the-ball incident with Wrexham defender Ben Tozer, with Tozer booked for his role in it. Replays show Tozer was rough-housing the youngster, who sort of semi-kicked out at him.

Annoyingly, the cameras are only showing a five-second replay of the aftermath, not the incident itself, so I can’t really bring you any more details, BUT it did look pretty soft from my perspective.

Tozer screamed to the linesman or fourth official, that he was stamped on, making that gesture to indicate a stamp, but it wasn’t anything like that from my initial viewing.

18:03

EQUALISER! Wrexham 2-2 Sheffield United

65: It’s all square! Out of nothing! Sub Iliman Ndiaye has made an instant impact and his run leads to the leveller. A Wrexham defender tackles Ndiaye but it falls to Norwood outside the box.

His initial shot is well blocked but the ball comes straight back to him, and after Howard dived for his first shot, the midfielder simply steered it into the opposite far corner.

Even Stevens again!

18:02

FA CUP SCENES! Wrexham 2-1 Sheffield United

63: Haha, absolute limbs in the home end behind the goal when that went in. Ryan Reynolds was going nuts in his box too.

The crowd are hugely vociferous and an Elliot Lee slide tackle is met with huge cheers and a double fist-pump from the midfielder. They’re up for it all right!

17:59

GOAL! WREXHAM LEAD! Wrexham 2-1 Sheffield United

61: UNBELIEVABLE! WHAT A TURNAROUND! O’Connor scores their second and the fifth-tier lads are winning!

Luke Young bends in a super corner, no one gets a flick on it, it hits Billy Sharp on the line and O’Connor is there to smash home with his left foot from close range!

17:59

Wrexham 1-1 Sheffield United

Check out that reaction!

17:56

Wrexham 1-1 Sheffield United

51: Ryan Reynolds LOVED that goal.

A few little things to mention: Max Lowe replaced James McAtee at half time, with Lowe moving to left wing back and Ben Osborn shuffling into midfield. 

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Then forwards Billy Sharp and Iliman Ndiaye replace Osborn and McBurnie. A 3-4-3 shape now.

Wrexham captain Luke Young was booked for bringing down Daniel Jebbison on the counter attack too.

17:50

GOAL! Wrexham 1-1 Sheffield United

49: Magnificent! We have parity in the cup and the National League side are level with the Championship promotion chasers – sub James Jones with it!

It came a minute after a Wrexham set piece caused absolute mayhem in the box, penalty-area pinball after Luke Young’s shot was saved and Paul Mullin’s rebound was blocked.

Tozer then arrowed another long throw forward, Tom O’Connor flicked it on and Jones turned it home acrobatically. The crowd have woken up now! It’s DEAFENING inside the Racecourse Ground!

17:49

BACK UNDERWAY! Wrexham 0-1 Sheffield United

46: Right, here we go then! Can Wrexham cause a shock?

 

17:31

HALF TIME: Wrexham 0-1 Sheffield United

That’s the break! Dean Whitestone’s whistle is greeted by widespread boos. For what it’s worth, – and I’m a neutral – I think he’s largely got every call right. Maybe could have given Wrexham a few extra free-kicks.

Big half-time team-talk from Phil Parkinson coming up…

17:29

SO CLOSE! WHAT A CHANCE! Wrexham 0-1 Sheffield United

45+7: Loads of stoppage time at the end of the half after two early injuries and Wrexham’s two best chances of the first 45 have come in the last two minutes!

Again, United leave Paul Mullin isolated up top with just a single defender and again, it leads to a brilliant opportunity. He takes on John Egan, knocks it past him and cuts inside… but Egan brings him down.

Free kick and yellow card. Wrexham players and fans are furious and want a penalty and red card.

The challenge was just outside the box, and given Mullin knocked it a long way past Egan and would never have got there, so it wasn’t a clear goalscoring opportunity and therefore not a red card for Egan. I think the ref got it dead right, but fans aren’t happy.

17:25

Wrexham 0-1 Sheffield United

45+4: WOW! Best chance of the game! Mark Howard picks up the ball in goal and quickly smashes it forward to Paul Mullin, who is alone up front apart from his marker Jayden Bogle. A one-on-one with 70 yards of space in front of him.

Bogle is overeager, stepping in to try to win the ball when he should just be jockeying him, and Mullin cleverly plays it past him. The angle is tight and he smashes it towards goal… but it’s straight at Davies.

17:21

Wrexham 0-1 Sheffield United

Tight, competitive game so far!

17:20

Wrexham 0-1 Sheffield United

43: To be fair, I think Wrexham have been the more ambitious side since conceding. Wrexham are really varying up their play, trying to spread it wide and go direct, threatening from set pieces too.

Sheffield United are just sort of doing the minumum to break things up and prevent the hosts from conceding, taking the sting out of the game. That said, they’ll be happy – they’ve not at all looked like conceding.

Will we see anything different in the second half?

17:15

Wrexham 0-1 Sheffield United

41: A small apology, by the way, that I’m using a Wales icon and not a Wrexham club icon to represent the hosts. Once they’re in the Premier League in five years I’m sure our bosses will get one created! 

Wrexham know it really needs to stay 1-0 at half-time if they are to get back into this game. 

17:14

Wrexham 0-1 Sheffield United

36: A few Tozer long throws come to nothing and Mullin lashes one towards goal from range, but it’s comfortably down the throat of Adam Davies in net.

That’s their first shot on target, and for all their huff and puff, they haven’t really threatened the visitors enough.

Confirmation, by the way, that poor old Jayden Bogle has broken his nose. But he’s got two cotton wool pads up his nostrils and the physios say: get on with it, lad.

17:07

Wrexham 0-1 Sheffield United

32: Not short of confidence, is he?! Paul Mullin has 27 goals in 32 games in all competitions this season and seven so far in the FA Cup – making him the tournament’s current top scorer.

You can see that self-belief as he smashes it towards goal from a country mile out. Not too far away but keeper Adam Davies wasn’t too fussed.

Wrexham have made their way back into the game pretty well, but equally, the Blades look fairly comfortable. Always a chance from a set-piece though…

17:03

Wrexham 0-1 Sheffield United

27: Jayden Bogle now down holding his face. I thought initially it was soft, a free kick given after Wrexham’s Ben Tozer challenged him, but Tozer’s trailing arm accidentally caught Bogle in the face and you can see the blood.

Home fans aren’t happy but you can’t argue with the blood!

16:58

Wrexham 0-1 Sheffield United

21: Good save! Daniel Jebbison, United’s young attacker, looks quick. He knocks it past a defender and shoots hard and low, bringing a good save from Mark Howard.

James McAtee then counter-attacks, and plays it through looking for Jebbison… but it’s overhit and Wrexham sweep up.

16:56

How Sheffield United stunned Wrexham

The header

The celebration

The reaction

16:53

Wrexham 0-1 Sheffield United

17: Good play McBurnie! The striker, already on the scoresheet, goes on a winding run, defenders backing off and backing off. He tees up Tommy Doyle – but the shot’s blocked.

Fron a corner, Wrexham then burst up the other end, with Anthony Forde scorching down the right and putting in a nice cross, cleared behind by John Egan. Dangerous!

16:51

CHANCE! Wrexham 0-1 Sheffield United

13: Decent chance, that. Mullin jumps with Adam Davies, fair contest, not a free kick, but Tom O’Connor blazes over the rebound when a cute hooked effort might have been better.

Another appeal for a penalty after a nudge in the box from a set piece but not much in that.

16:47

PENALTY?! Wrexham 0-1 Sheffield United

11: LOOK OUT! Wrexham have a decent shout for a penalty! The crowd are FURIOUS and are booing the officials.

Striker Paul Mullin ran on to a through ball, Adam Davies raced off his line and Mullin got a toe to it first. Waved away.

I actually thought it looked like a spot-kick but replays show there was minimal contact. Mullin did get there first but sort of threw himself down to the side and Davies didn’t really touch him at all.

Good call, ref.

16:44

Nightmare! Wrexham 0-1 Sheffield United

10: Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. Two of Wrexham’s three centre backs are gone in the first 10 minutes. Aaron Hayden limped off for some treatment and came back on, but it’s in vain.

He comes off too, to be replaced by James Jones. Jones is a centre midfielder, so there may be a formational change.

16:41

From bad to worse… Wrexham 0-1 Sheffield United

4: Out of the frying pan and into the fire. Defender Jordan Tunnicliffe is injured and he has to make way, Max Cleworth coming on.

16:34

GOAL! Wrexham 0-1 Sheffield United

1: I don’t believe it! Already! The visitors are ahead!

The ball took an odd deflection off a Wrexham defender about 30 yards out and squirted away for a corner. Tommy Doyle bent it in and no-one picked up Oli McBurnie at the near post.

The big Scot powered a header in. Keeper and defender on the line had no hope of stopping it. Wrexham are stunned. Sheffield United fans are bouncing. This wasn’t in the Hollywood script!

16:33

KICK OFF: Wrexham 0-0 Sheffield United

Off we go then! Is there a cupset in the air? Almost everyone except Blades fans will be praying for one!

16:28

Will Wrexham fans and Ryan be smiling come full time?

Danny Gabbidon and Jonathan Pearce the commentators for this BBC One FA Cup game.

Players are in the tunnel!

16:24

TEAM NEWS REMINDER: Sheffield United

16:24

TEAM NEWS REMINDER: Wrexham

16:23

Kick off is just eight minutes away!
16:17

Wrexham famously beat Arsenal in the third round of the FA Cup in 1992. They managed to reach the quarter-finals of the competition in 1997.

15:57

Wrexham co-owner Ryan Reynolds at the ground prior to kick-off. 

15:49

Sheffield United went out in the third round of the FA Cup last season when they were beaten by Wolves, but they will be determined to progress far in this year’s tournament. They have won their last three games across all competitions. 

15:38

Wrexham are the only National League team remaining in the FA Cup this season, and, after beating Coventry in the last round, they will be determined to cause another shock when they take on Sheffield United. 

15:34

Sheffield United team

There are five changes for Sheffield United. 

15:33

Wrexham team

Wrexham name an unchanged side. 

15:32

Welcome

Good afternoon and welcome to our live coverage of Wrexham v Sheffield United from the fourth round of the FA Cup.