WITHOUT top scorer James Beattie, subject of a £2.5m bid from Premier League Stoke City, Sheffield United made heavy weather of beating an understrength and at times desperately unlucky Norwich City. Manager Kevin Blackwell did not need the loudly expressed frustration of the home crowd to tell him the Blades will need to get stronger if they are to maintain their playoff ambitions.

“We’re picking teams to do specific jobs and win games we think we can win,” said Blackwell, who insisted Beattie had been left out because of a “24-hour bug”. The speculation is the former Everton striker might be replaced by Dave Kitson, also of Stoke, but in the meantime Blackwell opted for a combination of Darius Henderson and Billy Sharp up front, and neither let him down, particularly Henderson, who left immediately after the match to see his baby son, in intensive care with a bronchial infection in a London hospital.

It was a midfielder who came closest to opening the scoring. United’s Stephen Quinn had already volleyed straight at City goalkeeper David Marshall before beating Marshall but seeing the ball come back off the bar.

The Norwich defence, with Jonathan Grounds making his debut for the Canaries on loan from Middlesbrough, was taking time to settle, and it was breached decisively after 17 minutes. Danny Webber’s speed undid Jon Otsemobor, but there was no excuse for the lack of marking that left Henderson alone at the back post. Webber’s cross picked him out, and from six yards, Henderson made no mistake.

Norwich should have gone in level, though, and perhaps ahead. Chris Morgan gave away a corner after a misunderstanding with goalkeeper Paddy Kenny, from which Gary Doherty saw his header and subsequent close-range shot blocked on the line. Arturo Lupoli got to the loose ball first but under pressure he squeezed his effort outside the post. Then, four minutes before the break, United allowed Mark Fotheringham all the time he needed to curl a cross behind their back four and Wes Hoolahan, stealing in at the far post, headed the bouncing ball against the upright. There was still time for Lupoli, running clear on the left side of the United penalty area, to drive straight at Kenny.

United began the second half a little more purposefully, Sharp bustling his way into the Norwich penalty area, only to shoot straight at Marshall.

The game took on a slightly more predictable pattern, but although the home side’s lack of ideas, and inability to execute those few they had, saw the crowd become increasingly irritable, United should still have made the game safe when Henderson was presented with another close-range chance by Sharp. This time Marshall pulled off a fine double save.

Norwich continued to threaten to the end. Lee Croft saw his shot blocked by Morgan, Lupoli drifted a header against the outside of a post, and deep into stoppage time, Doherty forced Marshall to save.

“It’s a disappointed dressing room, because we matched United in every aspect of the game. Unfortunately the ball never broke our way,” said City manager Glenn Roeder.

Star man: Mark Fotheringham (Norwich) Yellow card: Sheffield United: Howard Referee: M Halsey Attendance: 27,267

SHEFFIELD UNTED: Kenny 6, Naughton 6, Kilgallon 6, Morgan 5, Naysmith 6, Cotterill 5 (Stokes 65min), Montgomery 6, Quinn 5, Webber 6 (Halford 72min), Henderson 6, Sharp 5 (Howard 80min)

NORWICH CITY: Marshall 6, Otsemobor 5, Doherty 6, Grounds 6, Bertrand 6, Croft 6, Fotheringham 7, Clingan 5, Hoolahan 6, Lupoli 6, Sibierski 4 (Bell 61min)