Carabao Cup: Sheffield United 3 Walsall 2 - Report and pictures

For more than 70 minutes, the Saddlers looked like they were on course to continue their hoodoo over Sheffield United, whom they beat on no fewer than three occasions last season.

They led through Amadou Bakayoko, who extended his own fine streak against the Blades by scoring in his fourth consecutive game against them.

The hosts meanwhile, seemed to be lacking in any idea of how to break down an organised Saddlers outfit which included 19-year-old Kory Roberts in the heart of defence.

It took a moment of fortune to bring Chris Wilder’s much-changed team back into the game with 16 minutes left on the clock when substitute Ched Evans’ shot, saved by Mark Gillespie, hit the unlucky Roberts and flew into the net.

That was the cue for three goals for the hosts in the space of nine minutes as Nathan Thomas and Daniel Lafferty looked to have put the result beyond doubt, only for a 90th minute Erhun Oztumer penalty to bring the Saddlers back into it.

They could find no leveller in stoppage time, yet Whitney will take heart from an organised display and the maturity of Roberts, who impressed in just his fourth senior start.

With James Wilson unable to play against his parent club, the Saddlers boss was always going to be forced into at least one change from the team which opened the season with a 1-0 defeat at Bury last weekend.

Teenager Roberts replaced Wilson in the backline for just his fourth senior start. Whitney also handed a debut to Nicky Devlin and drafted in Bakayoko, as he decided for a switch to the 3-5-2 formation which proved successful against the Blades last term.

The home side’s starting XI included full debuts for John Lundstram, Nathan Thomas and 20-year-old goalkeeper Jake Eastwood, while defender John Brayford made his first appearance for more than a year.

There was a definite sense members of the home backline were still getting to know each other when Bakayoko handed the Saddlers a dream start.

Alarm bells should have already have been ringing after Kieron Morris saw a shot deflected wide after the hosts wasted three chances to clear the lines.

But the Blades defence failed to heed it and on 13 minutes found themselves behind.

There was a suggestion of offside when Oztumer latched on to Luke Leahy’s lofted pass but no mistake about what happened next, as the playmaker squared for Bakayoko to sweep home left-footed from ten yards out.

Caolan Lavery almost provided a swift response from the hosts but was unable to get a clean strike on the ball after the Saddlers themselves failed to clear.

The striker was then denied a shooting opportunity at the edge of the box by a timely intervention from Roberts, before prodding a finish across the face of goal after a smart reverse ball from David Brooks had briefly opened up the visiting defence.

That was a rare moment of concern for the Saddlers, however, as the hosts continued to huff and puff to no real effect.

Instead it was the Saddlers who carried the greater threat, with Bakayoko in particular proving a handful for the home defence.

The game reached half-time without Gillespie having to make a save.

All that changed three minutes into the second half, though the 25-year-old only had himself to blame when, after coming for and failing to collect Jake Bennett’s cross, he was forced into a smart stop diving to his left by Lavery.

There was suddenly a greater purpose about the hosts, yet it was the Saddlers who came close to increasing the lead when Joe Edwards’s sweetly struck volley cannoned off a defender and over the bar. The midfielder’s reaction suggested he thought it was well on target.

At the other end, Lundstram saw a fierce shot deflected wide, while Thomas tried his luck from full on 40 yards from goal with a shot which bounced well wide of the target.

Such speculative efforts were all the hosts could muster until, 16 minutes from time, they drew level in fortuitous circumstances.

Lavery began the move with a run which almost saw him go through on goal. When the ball was returned into the box, Evans drove at goal and though Gillespie saved, the ball deflected in off the unlucky Roberts.

Five minutes later the turnaround was complete. Again Evans was heavily involved, this time crossing for Brooks to slide home from ten yards out.

It was harsh on the Saddlers and sadly the Blades were not finished there. With seven minutes remaining, Lafferty got what proved to be winner with a shot from the edge of the box which took a deflection to loop over Roberts on the line.

Oztumer brought the Saddlers right back into it on the stroke of 90 minutes when he fired home from the spot after a defender had been adjudged to have handled. But there was to be no way back.

Sheff U (3-5-2): Eastwood, Brayford, Wright ©, Lafferty, Thomas, Lundstram, Brooks, Duffy, Bennett (Basham 58), Hanson (Evans 52), Lavery Subs not used: Stevens, Fleck, Clarke, Coutts, Blackman (gk).

Saddlers (3-5-2): Gillespie, Devlin, Guthrie, Roberts K, Morris, Kinsella (Kouhyar 83), Chambers ©, Edwards, Leahy, Oztumer, Bakayoko (Jackson 76) Subs not used: Flanagan, Sangha, Cockerill-Mollett, Candlin, Roberts L.