Source: Telegraph
Greg Halford gives his all to keep Sheffield United alive
Just about the only feat Greg Halford failed to achieve was to secure Sheffield United's passage into the FA Cup quarter-finals.[LNB]Halford enjoyed a singularly eventful 90 minutes, scoring while operating as a makeshift striker before bravely leading the underdogs' rearguard action to keep Hull at bay despite leaving the pitch looking every inch the hero with his head bandaged.[LNB]Halford, a fullback on loan at Bramall Lane after being deemed surplus to requirements at Sunderland, gave the Championship promotion challengers a seventh minute lead in a feisty Yorkshire derby, rising above Sam Ricketts to guide the excellent David Cotterill's far-post cross beyond Boaz Myhill.[LNB]Defensively fragile, the Premier League side who spent last week recharging batteries in Dubai – were there for the taking and Halford should have doubled the lead when he broke clear only to hit a shot lacking conviction straight at Myhill That proved to be the last act of Halford's enterprising attacking cameo for he was forced to resume defensive duties at centre-half when Chris Morgan went off with a knee injury.[LNB]Fears that Morgan would be badly missed were quickly realised when Kamil Zayatte equalised by nodding in Andy Dawson's in-swinging free-kick in the 34th minute as the Blades skipper was being stretchered to the dressing room.[LNB]In Morgan's absence, United lived dangerously after the break and Halford was lucky to stay on the field he halted Caleb Folan's run on goal following Geovanni's sumptuous back-heel with a barely legal lounging challenge on the edge of the penalty box.[LNB]Hull's threat rose and Richard Garcia's close-range header was repelled by Paddy Kenny who kept out Bernard Mendy's low shot with his feet.[LNB]Halford spent five minute out of the action having his head wound bandaged up by the medics but returned to the fray to resist Hull's late charge.[LNB]'He's versatile and he's not bad in goal either and that's no joke,' Kevin Blackwell, the home manager, said. 'That's why we go away without a goalie. Greg's as daft as a brush but he can do anything he wanted sports-wise.[LNB]'Bravery is not normally one of his qualities but he showed it in abundance. Sometimes he just doesn't realise how good he can be. When he gets his mind right he's a good player.'[LNB]Hull manager Phil Brown, aiming to guide his club to the quarter-finals for the first time since 1971, added: 'It was a great Cup tie. Sam was complaining about a foul on their first goal but if the shoe had been on the other foot I would have been disappointed. It was a good goal but they heard a whistle and a couple of lads stopped – by all accounts.'[LNB]
