Fleetwood Town 0-0 Sheffield United: Blades knocked out 4-1 on penalties

Fleetwood showed cool heads to beat Sheffield United 4-1 on penalties after their Johnstone's Paint Trophy Northern Area quarter-final ended goalless.

The Blades, who scored after 54 seconds when the sides met in League One last month, could have been ahead early on again but goalkeeper Chris Maxwell denied Martyn Woolford in the fourth minute.

Fleetwood gradually found their feet and Tyler Forbes and Declan McManus were both denied in quick succession by United goalkeeper George Long.

But the visitors remained a threat and Nathan Pond had to make a vital block to deny Matt Done to keep the game goalless at half-time.

The game stepped up a gear after the break as both sides pressed to break the deadlock.

Stefan Scougall's stinging 18-yard effort was tipped around the upright by Maxwell while Long denied Bobby Grant, who had forced his way past two defenders before getting his shot away,

Fleetwood substitute Ashley Hunter came closest to a winner when his 90th-minute chip came back off the underside of the crossbar.

To penalties it went, and after Fleetwood's Bobby Grant and David Ball and United's Jose Baxter all scored, Billy Sharp could not beat Maxwell.

After Jimmy Ryan made it 3-1, Maxwell made a second stop to deny Jay McEveley, which allowed young midfielder Nick Haughton to send the hosts through.