Wilder left smiling as Blades tough it out

CHRIS WILDER has mixed memories of his trips to the New Den but on this occasion the Sheffield United manager only had cause for satisfaction after his side eased their way into the FA Cup fifth round.

Two moments of quality in the second half were enough to enliven an otherwise drab game, with Mo Besic’s first goal of the season — a curling shot from 20 yards out just after the hour — and Ollie Norwood’s excellent late finish deciding the outcome.

And Wilder was just as pleased with the approach of his players as they avoided adding their name to the list of top-flight sides who have stumbled in these surroundings.

‘I quite enjoy coming here,’ said the Blades manager. ‘It’s real, it’s raw. They’re at you, they say not nice things about you. I got sent off as a 19-year-old kid here. I two-footed Jimmy Carter. I’m not proud of it but it was a learning curve. But they ask the question always and I like that.

‘There have been some victims over the last few years coming here and getting turned over. But I thought our attitude was excellent.

‘We talked before about the team talk their changing room would be having about us being a soft Premier League team and us not enjoying the pitch and our players certainly didn’t let it happen.’

Gary Rowett, the Millwall manager, was left deflated but acknowledged the visitors deserved to go through.

‘I’m a little bit disappointed overall,’ he said.

‘I didn’t think there were massive amounts in the game. I think they were just a little bit more forceful.

‘We knew their mentality would be brilliant but I thought the game was pretty even. When a Premier League team comes here you are hoping they won’t have the right attitude but Chris Wilder’s teams aren’t like that.

‘But they had that little bit of class and opened the game up with the first goal and the second one came when we were pressing forward.’

Apart from an early opening for Millwall’s Aiden O’Brien, the home side rarely looked capable of unsettling their more senior opponents. But the Blades also struggled to create many openings although Billy Sharp had an effort cleared off the line.

Besic’s goal broke the deadlock and with Millwall pressing, Norwood drilled home from 20 yards to kill off the tie.

‘If we could get a home draw, with it being a midweek game with all the travel associated, we’d take that,’ said Wilder.