Sheffield United stay unbeaten after stalemate at Portsmouth

Sheffield United extended their unbeaten start to the Sky Bet Championship season and made it a whole month without conceding after holding winless Portsmouth to a 0-0 draw at Fratton Park.

Pompey goalkeeper Will Norris was forced into four saves – including a stunning stop to deny Gustavo Hamer – but the Blades drew a blank for a first time this season.

They did however end September without conceding a goal and, with Blackburn, remain one of two sides yet to lose in the second tier this season.

Portsmouth stay second from bottom having failed to taste victory on their return to the Championship after 13 years.

Tom McIntyre was given a manic 20 minutes before kick-off. Having been named on the bench, he was called into the starting XI when Conor Shaughnessy pulled up in the warm-up.

After a quick warm-up, he was booked 82 seconds into the match after a hefty tackle on Jesurun Rak-Sakyi.

The first half was full-blooded but lacking in regular attacking quality – with the two teams sharing four shots on target.

Paddy Lane was the first to get in behind and his caressed finish needed to be pushed wide by Michael Cooper, before Jacob Murphy tamely hit straight at the goalkeeper.

The Blades saw more of the ball but their only effort of note before the break came when the ever-dangerous Rak-Sakyi lifted a ball to the back post from the by-line to the head of Hamer, who was denied a third goal in successive matches by a brilliant flying save by Norris.

Cooper outdid his opposite number on the cusp of the interval when Marlon Pack’s wide free-kick drifted all the way though a busy penalty box before the shot-stopper reacted late to save.

United started the second half on the front foot but could not find the killer touch when it mattered.

Hamer blazed an effort well over and Kieffer Moore lacked power with his header straight at Norris.

The Blades’ assault was only paused when the game was stopped for a medical emergency in the stands.

Andre Brooks came off the bench to test Norrisr with a deflected shot and followed it up with a dragged effort off target.

Fellow substitute Tyrese Campbell also got himself in behind and would have broken the deadlock with a placed finish but for Norris’ trailing leg.

Portsmouth saved their best second-half moment until the 90th minute when Pack’s corner found an unmarked Jacob Farrell – but the debutant’s header went over.

A game that simmered throughout boiled over after the final whistle as both sides squabbled, with Vinicius Souza and Campbell booked in the melee.