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Spurs logo
League Cup | Semi-Finals
Jan 21, 2015 at 7.45pm UK
 
Sheffield United logo

1-0

Townsend (74' pen.)
FT(HT: 0-0)

Live Commentary: Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Sheffield United - as it happened

Relive Tottenham's 1-0 win over Sheffield United as Spurs draw first blood in their two-legged League Cup semi-final.
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Tottenham Hotspur put one foot in the League Cup final this evening with a 1-0 victory over Sheffield United in the first leg of their semi-final clash at White Hart Lane.

Neither side could break the deadlock in a tight first half, with the League One visitors holding their own against their more illustrious opponents.

Spurs began to apply a bit more pressure after the break, however, and they got the only goal of the game with just over 15 minutes remaining when Andros Townsend converted from the spot.

Read how all of the action unfolded courtesy of Sports Mole's live minute-by-minute coverage below.


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Good evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for this League Cup semi-final first leg between Tottenham Hotspur and Sheffield United. We saw a cracking first semi-final between Liverpool and Chelsea last night, and hopefully we will have more of the same action to come this evening. Let's start with a look at the hosts...

Spurs come into this match as the clear favourites to progress through to the final, and there is no doubt that, on paper, they got the easiest draw in the last four. However, they will be wary of a giant-killing - even over the two legs - and will be keen to get at least one foot on the Wembley turf with a commanding victory tonight. Failure to win would certainly make for an interesting second leg at Bramall Lane next week.

Confidence will be high that Spurs will do what needs to be done, however, as they have improved dramatically under Pochettino in recent weeks. The Argentine got off to something of an inauspicious start at the club, and there were even muted questions over his future in the early months, but he has finally started to get his side playing how he wants them too and they are a tough prospect for any team to face right now, let alone a League One outfit.

That recent improvement has thrust them right back into the race for the top four, and as things stand they are just three points adrift of fourth-placed Manchester United. The recent slip-up to Crystal Palace certainly harmed their prospects, but Spurs have bounced back from that disappointment well and look on course to really push the likes of United, Southampton and Arsenal for a Champions League berth.

indeed, that loss to London rival Palace is the only time they have tasted defeat in their last 10 outings in all competitions, during which time they have won an impressive eight games. They come into this match having won their last two, including success over Burnley that saw them through to the next round of the FA Cup. They will resume Europa League action next month too, so there is a very busy second half of the season potentially in store for the Lilywhites.

indeed, January could well prove to be the busiest month of the lot. Due to their replay with Burnley, this is already their sixth match of the month, and they will have played nine by the time it is over. Spurs are on side who perhaps have the squad depth to cope with such a huge demand of fixtures, but Pochettino will need to manage his squad very well to avoid burnout. There weren't too many signs of fatigue in their last outing, however, as they won late again through Christian Eriksen, beating Sunderland 2-1. Incredibly, Spurs have now won 10 points with goals in the 88th minute or later this season.

Spurs progressed through to this stage of the competition in style, and the manner of their 4-0 victory over Newcastle puts them right amongst the favourites for it now despite heavyweights such as Chelsea and Liverpool also being involved. In fact, they have cruised through the whole competition fairly comfortably so far, also beating Nottingham Forest and Brighton & Hove Albion by two-goal margins.

I mentioned earlier that Spurs will be looking to capitalise on this home leg and, while they weren't great at White Hart Lane earlier in the season, they have vastly improved here over the last couple of months. They are now unbeaten in nine games in all competitions in front of their own fans, winning seven of those. That run includes the incredible 5-3 victory over Chelsea on New Year's Day, a result that will certainly be brought up again should those two teams meet in the final.

As for Sheffield United, their mission tonight is surely simply to keep themselves in the tie. A victory would be a famous result for the Blades, but even the most ardent supporter will concede that it is unlikely considering Tottenham's recent record at home. However, if the visitors are able to hold Spurs to a draw, or even lose by just a solitary goal, they will fancy their chances of making life uncomfortable for their opponents in the reverse fixture a week from today.

Having said that, Sheffield United have got the results over the last few years that could make them believe that victory tonight is a possibility. They stunned Southampton in the last round, taking advantage of the Saints' low confidence at that point to record a 1-0 win and progress to the last four. They also claimed another Premier League scalp in the form of West Ham United earlier in the competition, as well as victories over Mansfield, Leyton Orient and MK Dons.

While their run to the semi-finals of this competition has been memorable for the fans, perhaps only a trip to the final will eclipse their spectacular journey to the last four of the FA Cup last season. They beat two more Premier League sides in the shape of Aston Villa and Fulham en route to the last four on that occasion, while Nottingham Forest and Charlton were also dumped out despite being higher-league opposition. Couple that with a 3-0 win over QPR in this season's FA Cup, and not only are the Blades looking for a second trip to Wembley in consecutive seasons, but they are also aiming for a sixth Premier League scalp in the last 12 months.

In short, United are a different beast in the cup competitions under Nigel Clough, who has lost just two of his 19 matches in charge in cup competitions. If they could find similar form in League One then they wouldn't be in that division for long, but they have been very patchy so far and currently sit outside the playoff places. They are only seventh on goal difference, however, and have a game in hand to put themselves back into the top six.

The contrast between league and cup form is perhaps illustrated best by the fact that the Blades have only won one of their last eight games in League one, but produced that fabulous 3-0 win over QPR in the midst of that run. they have drawn four and lost three games in that League One spell, dropping points to the likes of Walsall, Oldham, Fleetwood and Port Vale.

The most recent of those results came on Saturday as Sheffield United fell to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of fellow playoff contenders MK Dons. that made it just one win in their last four away games, but again that solitary victory was against Premier League opposition in the form of QPR. The Blades have a particularly good record against top-flight sides in London too, so there is reason for Spurs to be extra wary tonight.

The Blades are looking to reach the League Cup final for the first time in their history over these two legs, so their pedigree is certainly not as impressive as four-time winners Spurs. This is, in fact, only the second time that they have reached the semi-finals, and they went crashing out to Premier League opposition in their first appearance too. It was Liverpool on that occasion, although the Blades ran the eventual winners close in a 3-2 aggregate defeat back in 2003.

TEAM NEWS: Right, the teams are in for both sides and the big news is that Emmanuel Adebayor not only starts, but captains the side too. That is one of five changes for Spurs, including the return of Ryan Mason in midfield and a rare start for Michel Vorm in goal. United, meanwhile, make three changes of their own, one of which sees Chris Basham return from suspension. Full teams for both sides coming up...

SPURS STARTING XI: Vorm; Walker, Dier, Vertonghen, Davies; Townsend, Mason, Stambouli, Eriksen; Adebayor, Kane

SPURS SUBS: Friedel, Kaboul, Rose, Dembele, Lennon, Paulinho, Soldado

SHEFF UTD STARTING XI: Howard; Flynn, Harris, Doyle, McEvely; Campbell-Ryce, Basham, Reed, Murphy, Scougall; McNulty

SHEFF UTD SUBS: Alcock, Baxter, Higdon, Turner, Kennedy, Adams, K. Wallace

What can we make of those two sides, then? Well, I mentioned Tottenham's grueling fixture schedule this month especially, so it is no surprise to see Pochettino make a number of changes to his side. However, it is something of a shock to see Adebayor start the match having not done so since November. He came off the bench against Sunderland at the weekend and did not receive a good reception, so to give him the armband is also a strange decision. Pochettino will be hoping that the strike seizes his rare opportunity, however.

Emmanuel Adebayor in action for Tottenham Hotspur on October 5, 2014© Getty Images


That is exactly what his strike partner Harry Kane did earlier this season, working his way up to be the number one striker at the club with his performances in this competition and the Europa League. He has been a revelation so far and simply keeps on scoring, so he will be the main danger for the Blades tonight. His inclusion is perhaps an indicator that Pochettino is taking this game seriously and paying respect to Sheffield United.

The same applies to the inclusion of Eriksen who, alongside Kane and Lloris, has been one of Tottenham's most important players this season. He has scored a number of late winners already this season and has the ability to unlock and hurt any defence in the country. Sheffield United will undoubtedly try to rough him up a bit over the two legs, and that may well be the only way to stop him. If they give the Dane too much room than he will start pulling the strings and it will be very hard to stop Spurs.

Mason and Townsend also return to the side, and both will be looking to stake a claim for a regular starting berth. Mason worked his way into the first team with his performance against Nottingham Forest earlier in the season in this competition, and having missed the last few games with injury will be eager to ensure that he wins his spot back straight away. Townsend, meanwhile, has found opportunities limited but could see tonight as a perfect chance to get at the opposition defence and put in a match-winning performance.

There is only one change at the back for Spurs as Davies replaces Rose in the side, which means that Dier continues to partner Vertonghen in the middle. They won't have the reassuring presence of Lloris behind them tonight, but Vorm established himself as a top keeper at Swansea and, while he has become something of a forgotten man since his move to White Hart Lane, has a chance to remind people what he can do tonight. He is unlucky to oust a keeper of Lloris's quality, but he could at least give Pochettino something to think about.

As far as the visitors are concerned, they welcome back Basham from suspension after he missed the last three games, while Flynn also returns from an achilles injury. He takes the place of Alcock, who himself had only recently returned from an injury layoff to feature in the defeat to the MK Dons at the weekend.

McNulty resumes up front for the Blades tonight and he will be looking to test the likes of Vertonghen and Dier, particularly the latter, who won't have much experience playing against lower-league teams and the unique challenge that they can sometimes bring. Campbell-Ryce will also be a threat down the wing, and Walker and Davies will have to be careful on the flanks that they don't neglect their defensive duties in a match that is expected to be mostly Spurs attacking.

PREDICTION: We're 10 minutes from kickoff at White Hart Lane now, which means that it is time for a prediction! On paper, this one should be a pretty one-sided affair. However, there is always that question mark over Sheffield United in the cup due to their recent performances. They lost 5-3 to Hull City in the FA Cup semi-finals last season, and I have a feeling that the last four is as far as they will go again. They will look to keep themselves in the tie, but Tottenham's class should shine through in this leg at least so I will go for 3-0 to the hosts.

I have mentioned Sheffield United's fine record against top-flight teams already, but Tottenham's record against sides from the lower leagues should not be discounted. They have won 11 of their last 12 League Cup games against teams from the Championship and below, with the only exception being defeat to Burnley in the second leg of the 2009 semi-final, which they won on aggregate anyway.

Perhaps even more impressively, Spurs have scored in their last 26 home League Cup ties, a record that stretches all the way back to a goalless draw with Wimbledon in another semi-final back in 1999, 16 years ago. Sheffield United can barely afford to take anything more than a one-goal deficit into the return fixture, so they will have to keep the Spurs attackers relatively quiet this evening.

These two sides have met twice before in the League Cup, and on both occasions it has been Tottenham who emerged victorious. The first came back in 1970 with a 2-1 win at White Hart Lane in the third round, while 20 years later then won 2-0 at Bramall Lane in the fourth round. It would take another major upset for Sheffield United to break that duck tonight, but they haven't exactly been short of those in the past 12 months.

There have been a number of traffic problems in the area, with Sheffield United being affected. As a result, kickoff has been pushed back 15 minutes and will now start at 8pm tonight.

While the delay takes place, we should note that it is a special occasion for Kyle Walker tonight as he plays against his former club. The right-back has emerged into one of the best players in his position over the last few years, and will want to make an impact against the side that he began his career with.

Mauricio Pochettino, speaking before the match, says that he is expecting a difficult game tonight. He also noted that he was aware of the record Sheffield United have away against big teams in cup competitions, so it will be interesting to see his approach today. Game management may be the key as if they push to kill the tie off tonight then they could let United back into it.

It will also be interesting to see how Sheffield United approach the game. On the one hand, they have nothing to lose, with few people expecting them to progress, but they are also just two games from Wembley and a cup final, so will not want to be too gung-ho. Indeed, I expect the Blades to shape up to frustrate the hosts as a draw would be a very good result for them tonight.

Simply put, though, if Tottenham play at their best then they really should win this match fairly comfortably tonight. They hammered Newcastle in the last round and also hit five past the usually stingy defence of Chelsea, so there is no doubt that they have the quality to end this tie as a contest tonight.

These two sides have not met since Sheffield United were last in the Premier League back in the 2006-07 campaign. The Blades actually emerged victorious in the most recent meeting, with Rob Hulse and Phil Jagielka scoring to help United come from behind and beat Spurs 2-1, whose goal came from Jenas.

The last time the sides met here, however, it was Spurs who came out on top back in August 2006. Jenas was again on the scoresheet on that occasion, adding a second to Dimitar Berbatov's opening goal to seal a 2-0 victory for the Lilywhites. A repeat result tonight would suit the hosts well and put them in pole position to reach Wembley.

The first semi-final last night was a cracking match and remains very much in the balance following Liverpool's 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Anfield. The Reds put in an excellent display and probably should have won the game, but Chelsea hung on to come away with the point. the second legs of both ties take place next week, after which we will know our two finalists.

The players finally emerge from the tunnel and we are just a minute or so away from our delayed kickoff here at White Hart Lane. It is a chilly night in White Hart Lane, but the atmosphere is good, as you would expect in a semi-final under the floodlights.

KICKOFF: Here we go then! A quarter of an hour later than scheduled, Sheffield United get us underway as they look to pull off another upset in this competition.

Bright start from the visitors as they look to put the cat amongst the pigeons early on. Spurs have been limited to aimless clearances forward so far, with the Blades asking more of the questions in these opening exchanges.

United get forward in numbers again, with Campbell-Ryce given far too much room on the right. His low cross is cleared only as far as Flynn, who shows good footwork to break into the box only for Vorm to collect the ball.

The visitors have the first shooting opportunity, but it is a poor effort as Doyle slices his effort a long way off target. In fairness, the lay off to him was not great, but it was another example of United getting forward. They have had the better of this match so far.

The Blades have started the game with a really good intensity both on and off the ball. They have got forward in numbers and are also pressing high up the field, preventing Spurs from getting in to any sort of rhythm. It is still very early days, though.

half a chance for Kane as he peels off his man at the back post and collects the ball from a corner in plenty of space after McEvely had missed the ball. However, his first touch lets him down and he can't get the shot away.

Better from Spurs as they begin to knock the ball about. United are still looking to press high, but you have to wonder how long they can keep this intensity up for.

As expected, Spurs have settled into this one now and are beginning to dominate possession. They know they have 180 minutes to win this tie so will have no problems being patient in breaking the visitors down.

United win the ball back and immediately get on the front foot again. It eventually falls to McNulty inside the area, but his effort is blocked and Spurs are able to clear the ball a little later.

It has been an intriguing opening 15 minutes here. I expected United to sit back a little and perhaps get through the first stage without conceding a goal, but instead they are defending from the front and so far it is working quite well for them.

YELLOW CARD! Adebayor gets an early booking for a raised arm on Reed that had the Sheffield United bench calling for a more severe punishment. That certainly wouldn't have done the striker any favours, but a red would have been harsh.

When you think back to incidents like Markovic's red card for Liverpool against Basel in the Champions League, that Adebayor incident was a little worse than that. However, it wasn't an elbow or a swinging arm, rather one to just keep the opposition at bay. A yellow is the right decision.

Spurs have a good chance to break from a corner, with Erikson failing to take a pass from Stambouli in his stride. He keeps hold of possession to find Townsend, but the move comes to an end when the referee waves away claims for a free kick on the edge of the box.

CLOSE! Almost the opening goal for Sheffield United! The visitors work the ball over to Campbell-Ryce, who does well to work a yard on Davies and drill an effort right across the face of goal. It is probably intended as a cross, but it fizzes narrowly past the far post.

SAVE! Spurs have their first chance to swing the ball into the box from a free kick, and it is a good delivery into a dangerous area. Dier rises highest to meet it and flick an effort goalwards, but it is relatively close to Howard, who pushes it behind to safety.

Spurs get two corners in quick succession and, while both are poor deliveries, they almost manage to make something out of the latter. It is Kane who threatens most, but his low cross into the box was dealt with by the visiting defence.

SHOT! This is Townsend at his most frustrating. He has Walker on his outside but already has a long-range effort in his head, and there is no changing his mind. He lets fly from a good 30 yards, but drags his effort tamely wide.

Good spell of possession for United, which draws the 'Ole!' treatment from the visiting fans. It ultimately comes to nothing, but they have certainly shown that they can play some good stuff in this opening half an hour.

Still no clear-cut chances for either side here, with Dier's header the closest we have come to a goal. Campbell-Ryce also had that cross that went narrowly past the post, but genuine goalscoring opportunities have been hard to come by so far.

Campbell-Ryce has seen plenty of the ball in this one so far, and he is looking like United's most likely route of success at the moment. They have had 27% of the play in Tottenham's third compared to 10% in their own, so they are very much making a game of this right now.

CHANCE! I was just about to say that Adebayor had not featured at all so far, but then he has a really good chance to break the deadlock. One ball over the top sets the striker through on goal, but his first touch just makes it a little difficult for him. It was a tough one to control anyway, and he was a little off balance as he put it over.

Adebayor does look keen to get involved in this one, but the service to him has been very limited so far. He has had to drop deep a couple of times in the last few moments as he looks to make more of an impact on proceedings.

We have just over five minutes to go until the break now, and Nigel Clough will be very happy with what he has seen from his side so far. They have held their own against their more illustrious opponents and are showing no signs of the gulf in class between the two teams.

CLOSE! Almost a gift for the visitors! Davies gives the ball away in a very dangerous area, with Reed intercepting a pass and squaring it to Scougall on the edge of the box. He gets plenty behind his effort, but hammers it a yard or two wide of the post.

Some concern here for Murphy as he goes down with blood streaming from his nose. He was actually caught by his own man in an aerial challenge, but should be fine to continue.

Just a minute now for Sheffield United to hold out in order to take the draw into half time, and you'd have to say that they deserve it. If they can put in a similar performance in the second 45 minutes then they will really fancy their chances of reaching the final for the first time in their history.

The fourth official indicates a minimum of two minutes added time at the end of this first half.

CLOSE! Spurs almost take the lead right on the stroke of half time, and it is Dier who threatens again. This time he flicks a header just past the post from a free kick, although Howard had it covered.

HALF TIME: Tottenham Hotspur 0-0 Sheffield United

The referee brings an end to the first half, and we are still goalless at White Hart Lane. It has been very intriguing opening 45 minutes, and one that will encourage the visitors no end. They are still very much in this match and, if the second half is the same as the first, will be very much in the tie for the return leg at Bramall Lane.

There was only one shot on target in that first half, and it came from the hosts. Eric Dier, who has been a threat from set pieces for Spurs, rose highest to flick a free kick goalwards. He arguably should have done better, but it was a decent effort and drew a good stop from Howard, who pushed it away to safety. Vorm, meanwhile, is yet to be tested.

Dier also came close with a second header right at the end of the half, but this time he couldn't find the target with his effort. The ball flew narrowly past the post and wasn't a long way away at all, but Howard had it covered in the Sheffield United goal so it was never really a danger for the visitors.

As far as the visitors are concerned, they have more than held their own in the match so far and have also threatened a couple of times. Campbell-Ryce perhaps came closest to a goal when he drilled a low cross-shot narrowly past the far post from a good position, and the winger has been United's most dangerous player so far. He has got the better of Davies and will hope to maintain his good form after the break.

Davies, incidentally, was the man at fault for another Sheffield United chance as he gifted the ball to the visitors in a very dangerous position. The ball was slid across to Scougall, who arrowed a powerful effort a yard or so past the post from the edge of the box. A shot on target is the next thing for United to achieve in this match, but they certainly have carried a threat in addition to containing Spurs well.

The one time Tottenham have got in behind the Blades, Adebayor couldn't make the most of a decent opportunity. One ball over the top beat the entire defence and saw Adebayor racing through on goal, but his touch let him down in the first place and he couldn't hook the ball in. It was not the easiest opening for the stand-in skipper, but it was the type of chance that he has taken plenty of times before.

KICKOFF: Spurs get us back underway for the second half having never really got going in the opening 45 minutes. There are no changes for either side at the break.

Harry Kane is playing in a deeper role than usual tonight, but he has been forced to drop much deeper than he would like at times. He has sometimes picked up possession on the edge of his own third, and it is very hard for him to have an impact on the game from all the way back there.

Shooting opportunity for United here as the ball drops at the edge of the Spurs area, but it is blazed over the top of the crossbar. Still the visitors continue to threaten, though.

Townsend looks for a second like he is through on goal, but the linesman's flag is correctly raised for offside. The winger couldn't squeeze it in anyway, but it was just a hint of Spurs getting in behind the defence.

Sloppy play from the visitors as a poor back-pass could not be kept in by the keeper. The resulting corner is swung out towards the far post, but Kane was put under just enough pressure to prevent him from getting a solid contact on the ball.

Sloppy play from the visitors as a poor back-pass could not be kept in by the keeper. The resulting corner is swung out towards the far post, but Kane was put under just enough pressure to prevent him from getting a solid contact on the ball.

YELLOW CARD! McEvely is the latest name in the book for a heavy challenge on Townsend down the wing. The defender did get a slight touch on the ball, but when arriving with so much force you are always giving the referee a decision to make.

Spurs are enjoying a decent spell right now and beginning to show signs of settling into this match. There have been very few signs that they are the Premier League side playing a League One team so far tonight, but Spurs have a superb record in the latter stages of matches so will be confident even after an ineffective hour or so.

Much better from Adebayor as he spins away from one man in midfielder before driving forward with the ball. he tries to slip a pass down the right channel for Townsend, but McEvely gets a vital foot in.

Risky play from Spurs again as this time Stambouli gives the ball away in a dangerous area. Murphy presses well and gets past one man, eventually winning his side a corner when Vorm couldn't keep the ball in.

Spurs are seeing a lot more of the ball as we enter the final 30 minutes of this match, and you have to question how long these Sheffield United players will be able to keep this work up. They have worked very hard so far and are bound to tire as the match progresses.

Harris is very fortunate not to be booked here as he trips his man just as he was threatened to race away. That is a booking more times than not nowadays.

SPURS SUBS: Pochettino looks to his bench to change the course of this game as Adebayor and Mason make way for Roberto Soldado and Mousa Dembele. Adebayor received a mixed reaction when he came off, with some boos audible from the home support.

Sheffield United's set pieces have been a little disappointing so far in this match, but this is the worst of the lot. Reed looks to whip his delivery into the mixer but instead sends a terrible ball bobbling into the near side-netting.

Interesting one from Dier as he looks to catch the keeper off guard with a pacy cross-shot from a long way out. He may have been looking to bend it around the defence for his striker, but instead it ended up more like a shot that Howard comfortably saved.

Spurs break quickly and finally look to have the visitors on the back foot as Eriksen bursts forward from midfield. He gives it out to Soldado, who in turn finds Townsend, but the winger's single-mindedness is back and he drills an effort straight into the defender in front of him.

With less than 20 minutes remaining, Spurs may well start to get anxious and frustrated here. Despite being the higher-ranker team by some distance in this tie, they won't fancy going to Bramall Lane still level. This goalless draw would be a much better result for Sheffield United than it would be for Tottenham.

PENALTY TO SPURS!

GOAL! Spurs 1-0 Sheffield United (Andros Townsend, penalty)

Finally, the hosts break the deadlock! Vertonghen lines up to hit one from distance but instead dinks a clever ball over the top for Soldado, who took the ball down brilliantly at the back post. In his haste to get back McEvely comes across and clearly handles the ball, and the referee has no choice but to point to the spot. Townsend makes no mistake with his spot kick and, although Howard guessed the right way, the power of the effort beat him.

SPURS SUBS: Immediately after taking the lead, Spurs make their third and final change as Paulinho replaces Stambouli.

This is a huge 13 minutes for Sheffield United now. They have performed admirably so far, but another goal for Spurs would make things very difficult for them in the return leg. Their priority now needs to be not conceding another goal.

The visitors have a chance to put the ball into the area from a free kick, and that could well be their best chance of getting an equaliser now. This time McEvely rises highest to get his head to it, but he can't steer a difficult opening anywhere near the target.

Really good defending from Basham as he stops a powerful run from Kane. The Tottenham man took the ball off Campbell-Ryce and carried it from the halfway line to the edge of the area, but Basham did brilliantly to shepherd it out of play.

SHEFFIELD UTD SUB: The visitors make their first change of the night as Jose Baxter replaces McNulty for the final seven minutes plus any stoppage time.

Just a hint of an opening for the visitors as Baxter almost makes an immediate impact. He knocks the ball down to Scougall, but the ball is at an awkward height for the midfielder and his sliced effort doesn't trouble the keeper at all.

Good defending from Vertonghen to thwart a break from the visitors. Campbell-Ryce, who has been quieter in this second half, won the ball and poked it past Dembele to race forward. He has two men in support, but Vertonghen places himself well to cut out the attempted cross.

Campbell-Ryce is involved again as this time he pings a long ball towards the back post, but Baxter couldn't make good enough contact with an ambitious effort at the back post.

SHEFFIELD UTD SUB: Another change for the visitors as Wallace comes on in place of Scougall.

Positive play from Paulinho as he bursts into the box and into a shooting position. However, the angle is against him and he can only put a weak effort right into the keeper's hands at the near post.

Vital piece of defending from Walker as he flicks the ball behind for a corner with a red and white shirt lurking dangerously behind him. He simply had to get something on that, and he did well to do so.

We will have three minutes of added time at the end of this match.

SHOT! Baxter gets away from Walker momentarily but has no support up with him. He does well to keep hold of it and give it back to Murphy, but his subsequent effort flies well wide of the far post.

FULL TIME: Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Sheffield United

Neil Swarbrick brings an end to the first leg here, and it is Tottenham who take a lead into next week's second leg at Bramall Lane. Sheffield United can feel content with their work in this one, however, as they more than held their own against their Premier League opponents. In the end they couldn't hold on to a draw, with Andros Townsend scoring the winner from the spot, but they are still very much in this tie.

Right, that is all we have time for this evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for tonight's match as Tottenham Hotspur take a lead in the two-legged League Cup semi-final against Sheffield United. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction, which will be on site shortly. From me, though, it is goodbye for now!

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Sheffield United manager Nigel Clough on the touchline against Hull during the FA Cup semi final match on April 13, 2014
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