Don Hutchison ended a 15-month goal drought to send Sheffield United into the last 16 of FA Cup following a tale of two penalties at Bramall Lane.

United's club record £1.2million signing from West Ham struck a sweet 13th-minute spot-kick to end the Blades' penalty Blues, after they had missed four of their previous five.

It was a spot of argy-bargy that led to the former Liverpool midfielder stroking home his first goal since November 13, 1996.

Norwegian internatioanl Roger Nilsen's delivery into the area saw United's Brazilian-born Portuguese striker Marcelo bundled over by Argentinian left-back Mauricio Taricco - a target for the Blades boo-boys after his involvement in Chris Short's late sending-off in the first game at Portman Road 10 days ago.

After Hutchison's right-foot conversion into the bottom right-hand corner, Town should have levelled three minutes before the break when Lee Sandford tripped David Johnson in the area, forcing referee Alan Wilkie to point to the spot for the second time.

But Johnson, with 10 goals in 15 games since he moved from Bury three moths ago and scorer of Ipswich's goal in the first game, cracked his left-footed shot against the post.

The visitors, though, should have been dead and buried before then, but for an outstanding 25th-minute double save from goalkeeper Richard Wright, called up for training with the England squad yesterday in the run-up to the friendly with Chile at Wembley next Wednesday.

Nilsen was again the supplier with a near-post cross, allowing Dean Saunders to fire in a left-foot shot fro six yards, which Wright parried into the path of Marcelo, before superbly beating away the rebound.

Only a point-blank block from United goalkeeper Simon Tracey in first-half injury time prevented Taricco making amends for his earlier indiscretion after United had been carved open by his one-two with Johnson.

Tracey again saved his side from a fifth successive draw against Ipswich and the possibility of extra-time with another piece of inspired goalkeeping in the 66nd minute. Taricco's through ball for Kieron Dyer split the United defence, but Tracey raced out of his area to block the 19-year-old's shot with his chest.

Teams:

Sheff Utd: Tracey, Short (Quinn 59), Sandford, Ford, Nilsen, Holdsworth, Saunders, Marker, Stuart, Marcello (Taylor 59), Hutchison.

Subs Not Used: Kelly, Beard, Katchouro.

Goals: Hutchison 13 pen.

Ipswich: Wright, Stockwell, Taricco, Williams (Sonner 89), Tanner (Petta 54), Cundy, Uhlenbeek, Holland, Johnson (Mathie 54), Scowcroft, Dyer.

Subs Not Used: Bracey, Mowbray.

Booked: Williams, Uhlenbeek.

Att: 14,144

Ref: A B Wilkie (Chester-le-Street).