THE FULL REPORT: Slim pickings laid bare

The first 70 minutes were some of the best put together by Mark Cooper’s side this season. They played with intelligence, attacking purpose and speed.

But the Blades were able to soak up the pressure and ultimately blunt their hosts.

In the end the 2-0 scoreline was comfortable for the club with League One’s biggest budget.

Having taken the lead through a Neill Collins’ header, they then ruthlessly picked off Swindon on the break, with Billy Sharp doing what he does best when afforded the time and space to do so.

Unlike Bury, who faded having taken an early advantage, United had timed their assault to perfection and Swindon had no answers.

Neil Collins puts Sheffield United ahead with a header

Missing four starters through injury and their new signing Jordan Stewart, through what is apparently some shoddy organisation from the Irish FA, Town could only throw on Miles Storey to try and make a difference. Given the way he has been handled by the club of late, it was of little surprise he was low on confidence.

To demonstrate the point, the Blades were able to bring on experienced wide midfielder Martyn Woolford when their team needed pepping up.

This could not have been further from the end-to-end classic between these two in the last season’s play-off semi-final. Both sides demonstrated control of different varieties, Town in possession and United in defensive organisation.

It made for a fascinating watch, but ultimately the quality of Nigel Adkins’ team shone through.

Perhaps the writing was on the wall when the teamsheets came out. Sheffield United made 10 changes to their starting XI from their League Cup defeat at Fulham on Tuesday night, but still looked strong.

Town, for whom Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill ruled himself out with illness in the morning to add to the absences of Nathan Thompson, Jonathan Obika and Jermaine Hylton, were more reminiscent of a patchwork quilt.

The home side opted for a new full-back pairing, but neither could be considered naturals in the role.

Kevin Stewart came in on the right and Jordan Turnbull shuffled out to the left.

Jordan Williams started his game at centre-back and was joined in the middle by Raphael Branco, restored inside after his sojourn at right-back in Southend.

Despite the makeshift look of Swindon’s 4-3-3, the opening 20 minutes were the most controlled of any from them this season. They kept their opponents at arm’s length as they pushed the ball from side to side with purpose and skill.

Drissa Traore impressed in his holding midfield role

Drissa Traore, starting his first game after playing 80 minutes at Roots Hall last week, was particularly impressive. The Ivorian patrolled the centre circle like a little general and combined tenacious tackling with accurate passing to good effect.

By this time in the play-off semi-final meeting between these two Town were three up, but on this occasion the game progressed at a rather more prosaic pace.

The closest the Robins came to a goal was when Turnbull, enjoying the freedom of playing full-back, came marauding forward and the ball broke to Byrne in space on the edge of the box. With the ball running nicely into his path the in-demand wide man should have done more with his shot than fire straight at Howard in the United goal.

Swindon’s control limited their visitors to a sporadic attacking threat. With players of the quality of Sharp, as well as youngster Louis Reed and Che Adams, in their side it was not possible to entirely contain the Blades.

Lawrence Vigouroux was forced into a full-length dive to divert a 30-yard strike from Reed behind for a corner.

From the set-piece came the visitors’ most threatening moment. Town failed to clear the ball and it broke to Connor Sammon. The Irishman has moved around for some big money in his career, but other than his ability to hold the ball up it is unclear why.

Again he proved himself to be far from dead-eye in front of goal, even though he went close, hooking his volley from six yards against the crossbar on the turn.

The rest of the half drifted by in an entertaining fashion. There were delightful individual moments from Branco, Robert and Traore to keep the folks in the stands entertained and both sides had half-chances of which they made little.

As scoreless halves go it what was one of the better ones you are likely to see.

After the break the pattern continued. Town strung together some nice patterns of play, moving the ball from side-to-side in a cohesive fashion, but threatening sporadically.

Fabien Robert cuts a forlorn figure

Robert looked the man most likely to break the deadlock, but he could not continue his fine scoring form with two decent chances just after the interval.

The first saw his shot charged down after Turnbull had supplied him the ball in a nice position inside the cross after the makeshift full-back had retrieved a low Byrne cross.

The second saw the little Frenchman strain his neck as he ran between two Blades defenders, but could not get enough on Stewart’s cross to send it goalward.

With Town still looking blunt up top Cooper introduced Storey, but the move backfired. Not only was Storey ineffectual, he gave away the ball which led to the Blades’ opener.

Having surrendered possession, United attacked through Woolford and Williams was forced to concede a corner. From the set-piece Collins was able to give his side the lead with downward header that bounced off the ground and over Anton Rodgers, whose position left Vigouroux stranded as the ball looped in.

Five minutes later the game was sewn up. A swift United breakaway left much of the Swindon midfield and defence stranded upfield. Woolford found Sharp in space inside the box and the striker did the rest, slotting past Vigouroux.

That deflated Town’s efforts and they had little fight left in them and not much to call on from the bench to add any.

Nathan Byrne salutes fans at the final whistle

By the end it was a comfortable win for the visitors which should leave Town questioning their approach to squad-building.

If they continue to follow their current model they will continue to fall short when their resources are stretched. No side avoids injuries and suspensions for a whole season, back-ups are needed.

The Blades may be an extreme example, but they had 10 able deputies and by the end it showed, Town would be naïve to think they can maintain a challenge this season without planning for the worst.