The Blades made a disastrous start to the home npower Championship campaign after conceding three goals in the opening 23 minutes against QPR.

Neil Warnock got the better of Kevin Blackwell for the first time in four meetings, although he was helped considerably by the officials.

Referee Kevin Woolmer handed Rangers a first half penalty and turned away United's appeals for a spot kick on three separate occasions. Goals from Hogan Ephraim, Jamie Mackie and Adel Taarabt secured the victory for the visitors.

New loan defender Bartley started - Ertl switching to right back to accommodate him - and other than that boss Blackwell went with the same personnel that drew at Cardiff, helped by Evans recovering from an ankle problem.

Rangers boss Warnock, as expected, named Lane old boy Kenny in goal and the visiting squad also included former Blades, Derry and Leigertwood. United kicked towards the Kop in the first half forcing Kenny to defend in front of the fans who once adored him but he was given a hostile reception at kick-off.

Kenny was fouled from United's first set-piece and he would have been pleased that the home fans' attentions soon turned to the referee. Mr Woolmer failed to spot fouls on both Evans and Ward - the latter in the penalty area - just before QPR broke away to score with 11 minutes gone. Taarabt found EPHRAIM in space down the left and the winger approached Simonsen unopposed before sliding into the corner of the net.

Mr Woolmer then booked Montgomery, despite him winning the ball in a challenge with Taarabt, and worse was to follow as QPR extended their lead to three with two goals in the space of three minutes - with the referee again involved!

However, the visiting side's second was a well worked move that opened up United's defence. Ephraim found the space to turn back onto his right and deliver a cross to the back post where an unmarked MACKIE attacked the ball and beat Simonsen with a header.

Ephraim was again involved as Rangers added their third on 23 minutes. After receiving another pass from Taarabt, the winger's shot was parried by Simonsen, who was then adjudged to have fouled Taarabt as they challenged for the loose ball. There was shocked faces around the ground as the referee pointed to the spot and TAARABT accepted the gift, slotting home the spot-kick.

Blackwell switched to 4-4-2 with Cresswell joining Evans in attack and Quinn moving wide and the remainder of the half saw the Blades on the attack. Kenny pushed over Cresswell's header from Montgomery's cross and then Evans headed wide from Ertl's delivery.

Referee Woolmer then topped off his first half performance by waving away two more United penalty appeals - one clear-cut in front of assistant referee Fearn.

On 41 minutes Evans looked to have escaped Hill until the defender lunged in and took away the legs of the striker. The decision of a corner was all the more amazing as the Rangers player failed to touch the ball! And, to add insult, the officials could not spot Gorkss climbing over the back of Bartley as United launched the ball into the box once more.

Things didn't get much better for Bartley as he was booked moments after the restart but United were again on top. Ward fired a free-kick in a dangerous position into the wall and Cresswell could not find the target when under pressure from Gorkss and Hall.

The Rangers duo of Ephraim and Taarabt continued to be a threat and they linked up on 53 minutes to set up Faurlin but his accurate shot was blocked, at the expense of a corner, by Ertl.

Bogdanovic replaced the struggling Evans and Ward could have cut the deficit with 70 minutes gone but he appeared to be surprised to be presented with a shooting opportunity. The last throw of the dice was a double substitution - Kozluk and Yeates introduced - but it was one of the visiting replacements, Leigertwood, who went close as the game entered the final ten minutes.

The final minutes were incidental as United failed to cause undue problems to the visiting side's goal and there were plenty of unhappy faces at the full-time whistle, added five added minutes of injury time.

Blades: Simonsen, Montgomery, Morgan, Ertl, Britton, Evans (Bogdanovic 67), Taylor (Kozluk 75), Cresswell, Ward, Bartley, Quinn (Yeates 75).
Unused: Aksalu, James, Chapell.

QPR: Kenny, Orr, Hill, Derry, Hall (Ramage 51), Taarabt (Clarke 68), Helguson, Faurlin, Mackie, Gorkss, Ephraim (Leigertwood 79).
Unused: Connolly, Cerny, German, Parker.