Boss Roy Keane was again left bemoaning individual defensive errors after his side came within a couple of injury time minutes of recording their first league win of the season.

Keane said: “It should have been three points. We were close but not close enough. At 3-1 up we should have seen the game out but we conceded some bad goals. We gave the ball away cheaply and gave it away.

“It was disappointing but we'll look at the positives. The team expressed themselves and we played well, showing a spirit and tenacity.

“It's hard to take because in our predicament it's wins you need, not draws. But the signals are that we're making progress. Perhaps we just need a bit of luck and the rub of the green.

“Our supporters were excellent again and hopefully they can see a spirit, desire and attitude among the players that says we're all in it together.

"Does it feel like a defeat? Probably not because we've scored three goals away from home but there was a spell in the second half where we were wanting one or two players to see the game through but nobody did tonight. It's very disappointing."

Sheffield United assistant manager Sam Ellis was delighted to grab the draw: "We won't get a better point all season. To not play well and be second best all night shows the character of the team and that's what got us the point here."

Photo: Action Images

byronitfc added 23:55 - Sep 29 Sheffield United assistant manager Sam Ellis was delighted to grab the draw: "We won't get a better point all season. To not play well and be second best all night shows the character of the team and that's what got us the point here." Can only take positives from this....
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warwickblue added 23:57 - Sep 29 "The signals are that we are making progress.............? " That would be downwards then would it? I still can't get over the Newcastle capitulation and shipping another three goals tonight just doesn't do it for me in the confidence stakes. Sorry.
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byronitfc added 00:01 - Sep 30 did you go tonight warwickblue??
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townylist added 00:09 - Sep 30 Very encouraging even tho the last minute jitters arrived again!! Take this performance into saturday with maybe a new centre half and SHOULD BE the first three points!! (Before kick off we would have took a point after saturdays game.)We`ll be ok, In Keano we trust!
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ITFCson added 00:20 - Sep 30 Most comments on here after saturday were saying how not only would we lose but get a hiding, although its depressing conceding lates goals again it has to be encouraging that we scored 3 times and have there caretaker saying how pleased they are to end up with a draw. keane has already mentioned how he is looking for loanees, presumably a CB so when that person comes in and the basic errors cut-out im sure you will see us gradually start to climb the table. Also luck does pay a part with officials decisions and i think its fair to say they are not really going for us atm.

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warwickblue added 00:33 - Sep 30 byronitfc - no, I didn't go tonight. Still feeling glum though.
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StowTractorBoy added 01:08 - Sep 30 After every game we say oh the win will come and we will start climbing the table. We are now almost a quarter of the way through the season and whilst we would have taken a point before the game tonight teams are pulling away from us in the table. It will now take a hefty haul of points in October to even get us out of the bottom 3 as teams will obviously be playing dog eat dog matches. Early I know but the alarm bells are ringing and ever since that opening game injustice of a defeat against Coventry the trend has continued. We must get a commanding centre back in before Saturday otherwise Macken and co who are coming good under Robbins will also make us pay. We must not lose at any cost otherwise the gap may too be wide to close even at this early stage.

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PutYaBootsOnKeano added 01:08 - Sep 30 We're getting there. Come on Boys. No more feeling sorry for ourselves. We have venom, soon it'll be deadly. Forget Newcastle. We played better than them for 25 mins, there are very fine lines in football and we lost the game in 4 minutes of utter madness. Thereafter gameover. That's behind us now, we've just scored 3 at Sheffield and should have won. This season is a write off. No panic. Consolidation, cultural adaptation, building. Finish a formidable force and we'll be smiling. Roy is the man.

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superblues9 added 01:49 - Sep 30 How the hell is this season a write off !!!???it's only bloody September !!
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HighSeasBlue added 02:49 - Sep 30 Saturday is massive, lose and I think I am going to start feeling a little, "I wish I had not laughed so much when Norwich were relegated!!" Win and it won't seem so bad going into the International break. Did not go tonight, but it sounds like we are getting better? Maybe we should adopt the Keegan@Newcastle approach and ignore defending as we are clearly cr*p at it and just attack hoping we score more than them!!! I suppose playing a right winger at left back could be the start of this??

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Yallop_row_z added 04:32 - Sep 30 I've felt for a long time that Walters' best position is up front. He's big and mobile, strong in the air and has good feet. His best qualities are, to a certain extent, wasted out wide. Injuries permitting Roy Keane should play Walters and Priskin up fron in a regular 442 and give them at least half a dozen games to gel - they will get plety of goals between them.

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bluelass7 added 04:57 - Sep 30 PutYaBootsOnKeano - Well worded. To not only get thumped Saturday and without that elusive win we then go to Sheff Utd last night - I think I would have ripped anyone's arm off for a draw......but to almost get that first win after such a damning defeat shows balls. On Saturday at Barnsley we should be singing "It's coming home, Its coming, 3 points at last" (to the tune of 3 lions of course!) Oh and as always on here..... In Keano and the boys I still trust.

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dirtydingusmagee added 06:38 - Sep 30 I didnt expect anything from the match,so a point was a bonus ,however having raised our game after the embarrrassing match Saturday it was very disappointing to drop two points against a team which were not playing well ,and whom were two goals behind.Thought we played well for long periods but ,chucked it away in last 15 mins .Barnsley have hit some form it wont be easy lets hope we can do it Saturday, failure and not only will we be adrift of the top ,but we will be adrift at bottom . COYB

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Trickster added 07:54 - Sep 30 I thought we were going to lose 3-0 or something against a vry good sheff.utd side a draw is very respectable (even though a win would have been nice)
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Thetruth added 07:55 - Sep 30 I will take that all day long.................. Funny to see no one hammering Wrighty for losing us the 3 points, one man caused that draw and still everyone hammers Keane - pathetic You lot need to start realsing that the players have to shoulder some of the blame, Keane must have done something to bring them off a 4 nil defeat and perform well here and be 3 - 1 up at one point. Positive performance, Barnsley is going to be tough after they spanked West Brom, would be happy to take a point there too. October is going to be a big month for the lads..............

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Bergholtblue added 08:05 - Sep 30 I would have taken that result yesterday afternoon. It was a good point well won. Its a shame that Barnsley, Reading and Plymouth all won as it lessens the value of out point. 5 of the next 6 matches are all very winable (is that a word?). Come on RK no more tinkering lets get the settled side that you stated you want and get a win Saturday.
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bluelass7 added 08:10 - Sep 30 Thetruth - to true, only so much can be put on Keano's shoulders. Certainly not the 5 minute spell on saturday and the 10 or so minutes last night. Yes Wrighty may have lost us 2 points last night but he has also kept scorelines down in other games. Just typical that when your luck is down he goes and drops a clanger. Nice to see McAuley score. I do think that win is coming. They must take a lot of positives out of last nights performance whether Utd played well or not. Again, let's remember that scoring 3 away will normally guarantee 3 points. Maybe now McAuley's back he may settle to the sort of form we saw last year. And let's hope those 2 loanees happen before Saturday just to give the squad a boost. Keep the faith guys. One thing is for sure, we will not get relegated. Some team very soon is gonna get a right old spanking from us and we'll begin moving up the table.

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dobbie73 added 08:17 - Sep 30 Winnable is a word Bergholtblue, yes ... and a very fine one! Like most others, I expected a defeat, but would have taken a draw before kick-off. The fact that we were 3-1 up and couldn't hold on is very disappointing, however. Obviously the strikers are clicking, but the defence is not holding up its end of the bargain. Its becoming obvious that we are shaping up to be an 'away' side this season - scoring more and generally appearing more composed. Is this down to expectations and pressure do you all think? Every home team is expected to win and there is teh added pressure from the fans - when a team is low on confidence this makes them jittery. Away from home, expectations are maybe slightly lower and the fans pressure less. In fact, I can see our first win coming away from home, and with any luck it will be at Barnsley - a real six-pointer now. COYB!!!!!!!!!

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SomershamBlue added 08:31 - Sep 30 The only way is up! (we all hope)
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goldenblueboy added 08:47 - Sep 30 Same old Same old - Defensive mistakes etc etc... But it was a very hard place to place... and I think 99% of us would have taken a draw at the begining of the day - and to score 3 goals away to Sheff U is some going. I'm quietly confident in us winning our next few games and climbing up the table a bit... Barnsley, Swansea, Watford, Plymouth and Derby are all games we can and should win! Once we've got a couple of wins under our belt we'll be fine, it's just a confidence thing at the moment and stopping silly individual defensive mistakes. Keep behind the team.. Keano will prove to be one of the best things that's happened to this club...and I believe that will begin on Saturday!!! COYB!!!!!!!!

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goldenblueboy added 08:47 - Sep 30 place to play**********
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tractorboyupnorth added 09:03 - Sep 30 Whilst I felt devastated to have seen my beloved team come so close to their first 3 points of the season last night and what a scalp Shef United would have been... to see 6 goals away from home in our last 2 away games has to be a very positive sign. We do need some luck and the lads need to keep their heads up as the win will come (on Saturday I'm sure). Once we take care of the defense and those jitters we're all suffering from team and fans we'll be up and running. I have no fear that we will be playing the green and yellow scum next season unless they drag themselves up from div 1 and whilst I as many were full of wonders at challenging for the Championship and automatic promotion this is a very strong championship league to get promoted from made more so by the quality that came down (although not Middleborough perhaps). If we can establish a regular first team 11 once the new loanees are in and finish in an upward direction then the Championship will be ours for the taking with the likes of Dull city & Portsmouth coming down. The futures bright the futures blue!

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La_Paz added 09:20 - Sep 30 Gutted not to hang on for 3 points in the end, but still a good away point and hopefully a confidence boost for the team. Unless that is, you watch Sky Sports where we threw away another easy 3 points and languish in crisis at the bottom of the league. Considering their first goal looked a foul and the third was a keeper error we were unlucky more than anything by the sounds of it. This 'away side' thing has been going on for a while now, and surely has something to do with the nervousness of the crowd at PR-it certainly can't help. For a long time we have it seems been happier attacking on the break and have often struggled to break down more defensive teams. Maybe confidence is the key, who knows. We certainly lack a bit of presence up front at the moment also which doesn't help. By all accounts a great improvement on Saturday. As D:Ream almost said, Things can only Leadbitter.

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mockerygap added 09:20 - Sep 30 "At 3-1 up we should have seen the game out..." I'm not anti-Keane, but why then, went it became 3-2, did he replace one striker for another after 86 minutes and leave a defender on the bench?
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yorksblue added 09:28 - Sep 30 Thetruth If it hadn't been for Wrighty making some great saves in the second half, we would, as everyone expected, have been on the end of another hiding. Yes, he was at fault for the goal, but can be proud of the way he kept us in the game. Walters did a fine job, as did McAuley.
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