Substitute propels Sheffield to semis

Sheffield United 3

The striker netted in the dying minutes after injury-ravaged Palace had forced an 81st-minute equaliser with an own goal from Blades defender Robert Page to cancel out Carl Asaba’s first-half strike.

Striker Carl Asaba broke the deadlock to give Sheffield United a narrow half-time advantage.

Asaba, who received an apology from Reading defender John Mackie after being racially abused following last Saturday’s First Division match, struck on 35 minutes against injury-ravaged Palace.

The breakthrough was not long in coming when Tonge’s far-post cross was headed back across goal by Phil Jagielka for Asaba to force the ball home.

Palace went in search of a quick equaliser on the resumption and Symons was allowed a free header from Danny Butterfield’s cross but the Welshman saw the ball rebound off a defender for another corner.

Johnson, Palace’s top scorer in the competition, was looking more threatening and he again forced Kenny into action though this time his shot was straight at the keeper.

Tonge came close to making the game safe on 76 minutes as he dribbled his way into the area and produced a fierce shot that Butterfield blocked on the line and somehow saw it lob over the bar.

Kenny produced a fingertip save to deny Hayden Mullins as the Palace skipper fired in a low shot.

But in the 81st minute Palace finally grabbed the equaliser their second-half endeavours deserved as Black drove the ball into the area for Page to deflect the ball past his own keeper.

But substitute Paul Peschisolido netted the winner just two minutes after replacing Asaba as he headed the ball over Kolinko after Tonge had found Ndlovu on the left.

Kolinko claimed that Peschisolido had been offside but his annoyance only earned him a booking from the referee.

And there was no doubting the validity of the substitute’s clinching goal two minutes later as he latched onto a header by Allison following a pass by Page to flick the ball low into the corner of the net.

SHEFFIELD UTD: Kenny, Jagielka, Harley, Murphy, Page, Brown, McCall, Ndlovu, Tonge, Asaba, Allison.

CRYSTAL PALACE: Kolinko, Powell, Symons, Antwi, Butterfield, Mullins, Gray, Riihilahti, Black, Johnson, Adebola.