Burnley flattered by Hyde's fortune

Burnley 1 - Sheffield United 1

Neil Warnock believes Burnley are the ideal club for Steve Cotterill to rebuild his career after his disastrous association with Sunderland, and for a while it seemed that Warnock's Sheffield United might allow the 40-year-old former Cheltenham and Stoke manager to start his new job with a win.

Given how few funds he has at his disposal, Cotterill might disagree. His new team, refreshed only by free transfers, were ultimately relieved to take a point after a second half dominated by the visitors. United cancelled out Micah Hyde's debut goal through Andy Gray but managed to pass up two opportunities to take all three points in the closing minutes, when centre-half Chris Morgan drove wide of an open goal and substitute Ashley Ward hit the bar from two yards out.

Burnley had been in need of a pick-up after last season, when relegation was a worry from Christmas onwards. Ultimately it cost the then manager, Stan Ternent, his job. Cotterill had been out of full-time work himself since Sunderland - where he was Howard Wilkinson's assistant - gave him his cards in February 2003. He had no idea what to expect, he said, from a Burnley side containing five new players, four of whom are defenders, including goalkeeper Danny Coyne.

Burnley's only attacking newcomer is Hyde, and he gave his team the lead after 16 minutes. It was a fortunate goal for Hyde, although the footwork of 19-year-old Richard Chaplow on the left deserved some reward. The teenager dipped a shoulder to go past Leigh Bromby and when he delivered a cross, Gray's attempt to hook it clear rebounded into the net off Hyde.

Only Robbie Blake was deployed in an exclusively forward role for the home side; Ian Moore, the other striker, was on the right of midfield. Michael Tonge and Jon Harley, on the left, looked the brightest source of creativity for Sheffield United. Still, Burnley dealt with their best attempts to find a first-half equaliser, although Coyne denied Harley, stretching to his left to push a firm strike around his left-hand post.

But Warnock's side stepped up their work rate in the second half, forcing Burnley on to the back foot, at which point Blake became an even more isolated figure. United squared things up seven minutes after half-time. Bromby's long throw from the right was met with power by the head of Morgan. Coyne had it covered but the slightest flick by Gray took it past him.

Now Burnley looked decidedly insecure. Moore's boot, under the crossbar, denied Phil Jagielka a second United goal in a pinball-machine scramble in the Burnley box.

By the end, Burnley were struggling to keep a point, and luck was with them in the dying moments, as centre-half Morgan flashed the ball wide of a gaping goal and Ward, on for a tiring Barry Hayles, managed to hit the woodwork from barely two yards as he attempted to convert a cross from Jonathan Forte.