Crewe midfielder Kenny Lunt put the breaks on the Blades' promotion push with his first goal of the season.

The youngster fired a fierce shot home from 20 yards after Rob Hulse and Colin Little had combined to set him up from keeper Ademola Bankole's long ball forward after 50 minutes.

Sheffield United almost scored in the opening minutes after Peter Ndlovu slipped the ball past Dave Walton only to be checked in his stride.

George Santos charged onto the loose ball but a terrific block at point blank range from Bankole prevented the goal.

Nick Montgomery left three Alex defenders trailing in his wake as he burst into the box, but the winger's wayward shot flew well wide.

Crewe hit back through Little who raced down the left before delivering a dangerous cross into the box which was just inches away from the stretching Mark Rivers.

Then a Bobby Ford free-kick found Laurent D'Jaffo, but the giant Frenchman's header was easy for Bankole.

Hulse should have given Crewe the lead after the striker outjumped keeper Simon Tracey and controlled the ball inside the area, but he took too long to take it on his stronger right foot and Rob Kozluk was able to make the block.

Hulse went close with a cross-shot which Tracey spilled, but managed to recover to palm out for a corner.

Blades came out after the restart spurred on by Neil Warnock's half-time team talk and nearly got the breakthrough from the off.

Montgomery's cross was deflected and D'Jaffo came desperately close to turning it in with an outstretched toe, just seconds before Lunt opened the scoring.

Santos should have received his marching orders for a second elbowing offence.

The French midfielder had already been booked for elbowing Jim Gannon when he flattened the Alex man a second time in full view of the referee and linesman, but referee Rob Harris inexplicably booked Walton.

Kozluk broke down the inside right channel, but a timely block from Lunt prevented a goal.

Then in the last minute of stoppage time a brilliant save from Bankole at his feet denied substitute Patrick Suffo and preserved the win.

Teams:

Crewe: Bankole, Wright, Shaun Smith, Lunt, Walton, Macauley, Little, Rivers, Hulse (Ashton 90), Sorvel, Gannon (Charnock 86).

Subs Not Used: Ince, Foster, Street.

Booked: Hulse, Walton, Shaun Smith.

Goals: Lunt 51.

Sheff Utd: Thompson, Kozluk, Ndlovu, Murphy, Curle, Ullathorne, Ford, Santos, Brown, Montgomery (Suffo 68), D'Jaffo (Kelly 78).

Subs Not Used: Uhlenbeek, Talia, Woodward.

Booked: Santos, Brown, Kozluk.

Att: 6,909

Ref: R Harris (Oxford).