Match ends, Reading 1, Sheffield United 2.
Sheffield United needed extra time to see off a stubborn Reading and reach the FA Cup quarter-finals.
Substitute Billy Sharp headed the winner from a Luke Freeman cross in added time at the end of the first period of extra time.
David McGoldrick had given the visitors the lead with a header from a Ben Osborn cross inside 90 seconds.
But Reading levelled with a George Puscas penalty on the stroke of half-time after Andy Rinomhota was fouled by George Baldock, and came close to causing an upset.
Blades made to sweat
Chris Wilder's side won what is the first FA Cup fifth-round tie to go straight to extra time, to book their place in the last eight for the first time since 2014.
But the Blades, flying high in eighth in the Premier League, were made to work hard for the victory, even after Sharp had headed in from close range.
Reading midfielder Pele twice came within inches of taking the game to penalties, forcing a save from Dean Henderson and then firing narrowly wide of the post in the final minute.
Earlier, striker McGoldrick had ended a goal drought for the Blades stretching back to 22 April to seemingly set them up for a routine victory.
But Reading, currently in indifferent form in the bottom half of the Championship, showed resilience and patience.
Yakou Meite forced a smart reaction save out of Henderson with a left-foot drive from distance, while they limited their Premier League opponents to just a couple more chances before they were handed an opportunity to level from the penalty spot.
Romania striker Puscas made no mistake from 12 yards for his 12th goal in all competitions since completing a move from Inter Milan in August.
The second half failed to produce another goal but it was certainly not short of energy or endeavour from either side.
Reading seemed to grew in confidence the longer they withstood long periods of Sheffield United pressure and possession, and nearly snatched a winner on the break when Henderson had to punch a John Swift cross away from the head of the advancing Meite.
However, the extra 30 minutes proved too much and the fresh legs off the bench proved pivotal for Sheffield United.
Man of the match - John Egan (Sheffield United)
Sharp takes his chance - the stats
- Sheffield United have reached the FA Cup quarter-final for the first time since 2013-14 - but the last time they did so as a top flight side was 1992-93.
- Reading have lost their last five meetings with Sheffield United in all competitions; only against Arsenal (14), Manchester United (6) and Middlesbrough (6) are they on longer current losing streaks.
- Sheffield United's Sharp has been directly involved in four goals in his last five appearances in all competitions (2 goals, 2 assists), he only scored once in his first 15 games this season (1 goal, 0 assists).
- Reading forward George Puscas has scored in four of his last five appearances in all competitions (four goals), as many goals as in his previous 24 for the club.
- David McGoldrick's second-minute strike was his first goal of the season for Sheffield United, in his 21st game with what was his 37th shot.
'A long, hard-fought battle' - what the managers said
Reading manager Mark Bowen: "It's hard to take when you put that much effort in. We soaked up pressure and we had periods where we took the game to them. It was a game of few chances and we have been done by two crosses into our box.
"It was a long, hard-fought battle and it's hard to take. My players know what we're about and what we can do together.
"We have to take this on in our league form, we have 10 games to go and we will pick up points."
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder: "It was always going to be tough. We didn't under-prepare, we knew what we would face.
"It was a fantastic start. The Reading punters got right behind their team and they lifted their game. It was never going to be easy.
"As a Championship side we knocked out so many Premier League sides in this cup and the League Cup, so we knew it was never going to be easy. We got the job done and found a way to win."
Line-ups
Reading
Formation 4-5-1
- 33Cabral Barbosa
- 17Yiadom
- 5Miazga
- 4Morrison
- 11Obita
- 19MeiteSubstituted forMcClearyat 105'minutes
- 8RinomhotaBooked at 51minsSubstituted forBaldockat 105'minutes
- 10Swift
- 14EjariaSubstituted forTuncará Gomesat 98'minutes
- 21OliseSubstituted forMasikaat 98'minutes
- 47Puscas
Substitutes
- 1Walker
- 6Moore
- 9Baldock
- 12McCleary
- 24Blackett
- 25Masika
- 29Tuncará Gomes
Sheff Utd
Formation 3-5-2
- 1Henderson
- 6Basham
- 12Egan
- 5O'Connell
- 2Baldock
- 7Lundstram
- 32BergeSubstituted forRobinsonat 99'minutes
- 8FreemanSubstituted forRetsosat 105'minutesBooked at 120mins
- 23Osborn
- 22MoussetSubstituted forMcBurnieat 61'minutes
- 17McGoldrickSubstituted forSharpat 79'minutes
Substitutes
- 9McBurnie
- 10Sharp
- 15Jagielka
- 19Robinson
- 21Verrips
- 29Retsos
- 30Zivkovic
- Referee:
- Kevin Friend
- Attendance:
- 15,129
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home45%
- Away55%
- Shots
- Home11
- Away13
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away5
- Corners
- Home4
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home8
- Away11
Live Text
Post update
Post update
Second Half Extra Time ends, Reading 1, Sheffield United 2.
Post update
Attempt missed. Pelé (Reading) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Michael Morrison following a set piece situation.
Booking
Panagiotis Retsos (Sheffield United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Panagiotis Retsos (Sheffield United).
Post update
John Swift (Reading) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Attempt saved. George Puscas (Reading) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Garath McCleary with a cross.
Post update
Corner, Reading. Conceded by Dean Henderson.
Post update
Attempt saved. Pelé (Reading) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Garath McCleary.
Post update
Attempt saved. Jordan Obita (Reading) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by John Swift.
Post update
Attempt missed. Jack O'Connell (Sheffield United) left footed shot from more than 35 yards is high and wide to the left.
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Foul by John Egan (Sheffield United).
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Sam Baldock (Reading) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by George Baldock (Sheffield United).
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John Swift (Reading) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Billy Sharp (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Jordan Obita (Reading).
Post update
Corner, Reading. Conceded by Jack Robinson.
Post update
John Lundstram (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Ayub Timbe Masika (Reading).
Comments
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Made McBurnie look like a Sunday league player
Get him signed up Wilder
Well played Reading.
Ultimately it was our 4th game in 10 days, the Blades had a 10 day rest.
Is that how valued the FA cup is nowadays though, shifted to midweek obscurity.
Hope Blades make Wembley now, just to see a different team there.
More bias from the BBC.
You can bet the coverage will be just as biased when Wednesday play Man City tomorrow.
The BBC Salford journalists will be licki g their lips!
Freezy played well for us,and thank God for Billy Sharp...UTB!
Talked about a couple of minority events though
Come on BBC get over the Ars/Che/ManU/ManC/LPool/ Spurs love in
Bang on mate. On the night and in the run up to this game, you could have been excused for not knowing this tie was being played if you'd just watched the BBC due to their love in with 'the big six'. Get your act together BBC anybody would think you're getting back handers? Ooh Now then there's a thought.
So pleased for him. Enjoyed watching him at the Keepmoat playing for the Rovers.
Great stuff.
Maybe that's because he never started, maybe that's because he only got to play the last 10 minutes if he was lucky!
Should have shown more faith in him, instead everybody rushed to write him off!
Just shows that despite his ZIMMER FRAME he's still got it in him!
He's One of Our Own!
No coverage tonight and nearly always the last match on MOTD.
Will the Blades be on BBC when they are at Wembley?.
They are not an easy team to play against.
Well done Sheffield United.