Saints 3 Sheffield United 2 - how the drama unfolded

7 - Sheffield United worry Saints as David Cotterill breaks forward but his cross is deflected wide.

8 - Saints managed to get the corner behind as Gary Speed looks to attack the ball.

9 - Rob Hulse has time and space to bring the ball down, turn and shoot in the area but blazes well wide.

11 - Cotterill gets a cross in from the right but Billy Sharp's header is weak and easy for Richard Wright to deal with.

13 - Saints surge forward but Andrew Surman's cross from the left is cut out by John Halls.

16 - Another good cross from Surman this time headed away by Gary Naismith.

19 - Jason Euell runs at the heart of the United defence but fires his shot from 25 yards over the bar.

24 - Billy Sharp whips in a cross from the right, Stephen Quinn pulls off to the far post and heads across goal past Richard Wright into the far corner. 0-1.

27 - Saints win a free kick 20 yards out just right of centre. Inigo Idiakez takes it right footed but Paddy Kenny tips it over the bar.

28 - Halls has to put over his own bar after a lofted ball in from Jhon Viafara.

32 - Naismith blocks Idiakez's close range diving header.

38 - Surman slips the ball through to Marek Saganowski but Kenny flies out to dive at him and block his shot.

39 - United make the first change with Cotterill replaced by Keith Gillespie in a bid to quell the threat of Surman.

41- United push forward again but Jermaine Wright blocks Quinn's cross from the left.

42 - Matthew Kilgallon powers in a header from Michael Tonge's corner but Richard Wright makes a brilliant point blank range save.

43 - Saints go straight up the other end, Viafara's cross from the left takes a deflection and loops up to the far post where Saganowski dives in to head home. 1-1.

45 - Super block by Naismith at the far post to deny Stern John on the volley.

45 - Speed tries an effort from distance that zips just over the bar.

Half time.

46 - Early second half chance from Saints but Euell heads over.

53 - Saganowski flicks the ball through to John who beats the offside trap and has time and space to bring the ball down and fire it past Kenny. 2-1.

53 - John is booked for taking his shirt of in celebration.

56 - Tonge flicks a header just over the bar.

56 - Sheffield United make a second change with Luton Shelton coming on for Sharp.

62 - John plays in Saganowski but he doesn't take it early and United block him out.

63 - Darren Powell has a free header from corner but puts it wide.

63 - United make their final change with Jon Stead coming on for Hulse.

65 - Quinn gets in a low ball from the left, Stead comes across the near post and flicks it in. 2-2.

69 - The ball comes into the area. John turns sharply and drags his shot into the bottom corner. 3-2.

73 - Saints make a substitution with Adam Lallana coming on for Saganowski.

78 - Tonge's corner is headed across goal and wide by Speed.

78 - An incredible moment follows as Idiakez has to be dragged away as his argues with his own teammates in the penalty area.

79 - Mario Licka is brought on for Idiakez.

81 - John slides through Geary with a late challenge and is given a second yellow card followed by a red.

90 - The fourth official holds up the board to show three minutes of stoppage time.

The full time whistle goes and fans invade the pitch in celebration.

Don't miss tomorrow's Daily Echo for the best reports, reaction and pictures from St Mary's.