COVENTRY City take a point away from Bramall Lane after finishing up 1-1 with Kevin Blackwell's Blades.

The Sky Blues went into the half-time break a goal up but Billy Sharp popped up with an equaliser for ten-man United ten minutes after the break.

Chris Coleman's side were by far the better side of the first half but Sharp's second-half equaliser, along with a penalty miss by Elliott Ward, ensured United stayed above the Sky Blues in the Championship table.

City took a one-goal lead into the half-time break after a strike from returning midfielder Jay Tabb, his first goal of the season.

Tabb, on his return to the first team starting line-up, benefited from a long throw from Aron Gunnarsson to grab City's first league goal for three games.

Good work on the right from Michael Doyle earned the Sky Blues a throw midway through Sheffield United's half, allowing Gunnarsson to launch his trademark long throw.

The throw got a flick on in the United penalty area before finding it's way to Tabb who fired low across United 'keeper Paddy Kenny and into the bottom corner after 29 minutes.

The goal was a long time coming for the Sky Blues who started off extremely brightly and could have gone ahead earlier but for good saves from Paddy Kenny from two mid-range efforts from Freddy Eastwood and Aron Gunnarsson both from long runs.

Stephen Quinn almost gave the Blades the lead seven minutes before City's opener, a cross from Cotterill finding him at the back post although his apprehension cost him, giving Ward enough time to throw in a crucial block.

The second half threw up an exciting chain of events though, Sun Jihai being given his marching orders after hacking down Michael Mifsud, the referee brandishing a straight red card.

Mifsud also won a penalty for City just five minutes earlier, again after a challenge from Jihai, but Ward put his spot kick wide of the post despite sending Kenny the wrong way.

The Sky Blues were then left to rue the miss on 55 minutes when a low cross from David Cotterill found Sharp with his back to goal, the youngster turning and lashing a low shot past Keiren Westwood.

Gary Speed, who got on the scoresheet the last time the two sides met at Bramall Lane, also had a long-range chip tipped over the bar by Eastwood.

But the Sky Blues almost had a chance to steal all the points in the last minute of injury time, Leon Best benefitting from a defensive mistake by Quinn but sending his shot wide of Kenny's goal.