Southampton captain Jason Dodd saw his team through safely to the fourth round of the FA Cup with the only goal, a penalty 18 minutes from time at The Dell.

Dodd put away the spot-kick easily after the one major incident of an otherwise dour match.

Southampton had failed to make use of their massive possession and were running out of ideas when full-back Wayne Bridge tried his luck from 30 yards.

Sheffield United goalkeeper Simon Tracey failed to hold the shot even though it was straight at him and from the rebound he appeared to bring down star striker James Beattie as they contested the loose ball.

Referee David Elleray pointed to the spot amid heated protests from the First Division side.

After Dodd had despatched his second goal of the season the protest continued and referee Elleray sent off United midfield man Bobby Ford for dissent.

United spent the last 18 minutes and the five added on for injuries and replacements reduced to 10 men and they failed to muster a single shot on target.

The Blades came to the south coast with a proud record of 16 clean sheets and until Dodd's penalty it looked as if there might be a 17th.

While the Yorkshiremen offered little as an attacking force, they made life difficult for the Premiership outfit who had won five of their last six home matches.

United survived with a measure of luck, but in defender Shaun Murphy they had a man of the match for the way he blunted the threat of the rampaging Beattie.

Southampton might have taken the lead in the seventh minute but Jo Tessem saw his shot turned against a post by Tracey as the keeper dived to his right.

Southampton also hit the woodwork in the 39th minute when Tracey lost possession to Beattie on the by-line almost next to the corner flag.

Beattie opted to shoot from an almost impossible angle and struck the outside of the post though fellow striker Marian Pahars was unmarked in the box.

Southampton manager Glenn Hoddle was clearly unhappy with his team's performance and will be delighted with the penalty award for preventing the possibility of a replay.

In the 34th minute he took off midfield player Matthew Oakley and brought on Mark Draper.

Oakley was not obviously injured and after snatching his top from the dug-out made his way slowly along the touch line to the dressing room.

Later Hoddle sent on Hassan Kachloul in place of Norwegian Trond Soltvedt in a desperate attempt to break down United's efficient defence.

But just when it looked as if the teams would head back to Bramall Lane on Tuesday week, Tracey gifted Southampton their goal.

The protest continued at the final whistle with United believing they had been on the wrong end of a refereeing injustice.

Blades manager Neil Warnock also made three substitutions but his side failed once to put Southampton under pressure and in addition to Ford's red card, there were yellows for Nick Montgomery and Gus Uhlenbeek.

Teams:

Southampton: Jones, Dodd, Lundekvam, El Khalej (Richards 78), Bridge, Tessem, Oakley (Draper 35), Soltvedt (Kachloul 61), Davies, Pahars, Beattie.

Subs Not Used: Moss, Marsden.

Booked: El Khalej.

Goals: Dodd 73 pen.

Sheff Utd: Tracey, Kozluk, Murphy, Uhlenbeek, Sandford, Devlin (Suffo 85), Montgomery, Ford, Woodhouse, Kelly (D'Jaffo 77), Santos (Thomas 90).

Subs Not Used: Curle, Jagielka.

Sent Off: Ford (74).

Booked: Montgomery, Uhlenbeek.

Att: 14,158

Ref: D Elleray (Harrow-on-the-Hill).