Sheffield United's four-match winning streak came to an end in a scrappy Division One game at the Britannia Stadium as struggling Stoke City battled for a precious point in their fight against relegation.

The Blades created enough half-chances to win the game but they hardly deserved it and their lacklustre performance cost them third spot in the table to Reading.

Neil Warnock's side were quick out of the blocks and could have taken the lead after only three minutes.

But it did not get any better after Peter Ndlovu spurned the chance, firing wide with only goalkeeper Mark Crossley to beat.

City gave a debut to Mark Wilson and the on-loan Middlesbrough midfielder almost endeared himself to the home fans before 10 minutes were up when his attempt with an overhead kick brought a save from Paddy Kenny.

But the game deteriorated from there and there were far too many fouls as United, who drafted in on-loan Blackburn defender John Curtis in the absence of injured duo Stuart McCall and Nick Montgomery, struggled to put together a fluent move.

They created an opening from Michael Brown's corner, but the lively Steve Kabba put his effort over the bar, and Dean Windass could do no better than knock the ball wide of the post when he got his head to a Michael Tonge corner.

Stoke's attacking forays lacked bite and when they did make inroads, Peter Hoekstra's ambitious 30-yard shot was saved by Kenny before Marcus Hall's long-range effort sailed wide.

Clear-cut chances were in short supply in the second half, although Kenny had to keep out a Wilson shot before Stoke substitute Bjarni Gudjonsson signalled his intentions within three minutes of coming on by firing in a 20-yard shot that cleared the bar.

Both managers sent on fresh strikers in an attempt to find a winning goal and Stoke's Chris Greenacre twice shot wide, but there was little to disturb Kenny in the visitors' goal.

Teams

Stoke: Crossley, Thomas, Handyside, Shtanuk, Marcus Hall, Mark Wilson (Greenacre 74), O'Connor, Gunnarsson, Hoekstra, Iwelumo (Gudjonsson 62), Cooke.

Subs Not Used: Banks, Williams, Clarke.

Booked: O'Connor, Gunnarsson, Cooke.

Sheff Utd: Kenny, Jagielka, Page, Murphy, Kozluk, Ndlovu (Morrison 77), Curtis, Brown, Tonge, Windass (Allison 67), Kabba (Peschisolido 78).

Subs Not Used: Cas, Javary.

Booked: Brown.

Att: 14,449

Ref: E Wolstenholme (Lancashire).