For the second consecutive year the Blades crashed out of the Carling Cup at the first round stage.

Kevin Blackwell's side followed a number of other npower Championship teams to fall to lower league opposition. Goals from James Brown and Adam Boyd secured Hartlepool's passage into the second round.

Homegrown youngsters James and Chapell were given their first competitive starts and they were joined by Yeates and Kozluk as boss Blackwell made a total of four changes.

Short of numbers due to injury, suspension and international commitments, the Blades named another Academy product, Roe, on the bench, along with new boy Bartley, as well as 41-year-old goalkeeping coach Crichton and 40-year-old first-team coach Speed, to make up the numbers.

The formation mirrored the one that started the game at Cardiff, 4-2-3-1, and saw James take up a central midfield role and Chapell and Yeates wide, with Cresswell reverting to the lone striker.

Morgan had launched a clearance over the main stand at Victoria Park within the opening three minutes but with the replacement ball the home side grabbed the lead with their first attack. Monkhouse cut in from the left before Gamble powered past Taylor and forced a parry from Simonsen, who was quickly to his feet and managed to get a hand to the rebound from BROWN but the ball still dropped into the net.

Yeates was involved in the immediate attempts to drag United level. Firstly, he had a shot blocked by Liddle and then provided the cross for Cresswell to head just wide with 17 minutes gone.

There was little to choose between the sides throughout the first period and chances, after the initial efforts, were sparse. The Blades were being denied possession by the hard-working home side and the lack of ball was frustrating Cresswell, amongst others.

Monkhouse and Gamble fired well over the crossbar for Hartlepool and at the other end a Yeates free-kick struck the home wall with Morgan's rebound comfortably dropping into the arms of goalkeeper Flinders.

Ex Blades youngster Horwood, a new signing for Hartlepool, was prominent down the home side's left flank and fired a free-kick into the wall. The referee's half-time whistle was greeted by cheers from the Victoria Park regulars.

United made a brighter start to the second half. Flinders was called upon to collect a long Kozluk throw which was destined for Cresswell and from a break, Yeates cut inside and saw his goalbound shot blocked by the head of Collins.

Goalscorer Brown's last act before limping off was a shot that saw Simonsen tip around his left post but the Blades quickly had a chance to level the scores when Britton, Chapell and Yeates all linked up but the latter's shot was well off target.

The visiting side's best spell of the game, however, came to an end around the hour mark when Hartlepool added a second. Sweeney's first shot was blocked but as he looked to pick up the loose ball he was bundled over by Kozluk. Referee Salisbury pointed to the spot and BOYD sent Simonsen the wrong way and doubled the lead with his shot into the corner.

Gamble went close to adding a third a minute after the penalty and Blackwell's attempts to get back into the game saw Ward introduced alongside Cresswell and Quinn brought on to the left flank.

However, the substitutions had little effect, although Ward picked up a booking as his frustrations began to show. It appeared that Blackwell began a damage limitation process in the final ten minutes when Cresswell was withdrawn and Bartley introduced as an auxiliary centre forward - and he made his presence felt.

The loanee quickly tried his luck from the edge of the box but his shot was straight at the home goalkeeper and then, in injury-time, Monkhouse headed off the line as Bartley fired towards goal with Flinders out of his goal. It proved to be the game's final chance as Hartlepool booked their place in the second round draw.

Hartlepool: Flinders, Haslam, Liddle, Collins, Horwood, Sweeney, Gamble, Murray, (Fredriksen 72), Brown (McSweeney 52), Boyd (Behan 74), Monkhouse.
Unused: Rafferty, Larkin, Bjornsson, Hartley.

Blades: Simonsen, Montgomery, Morgan, Ertl, Britton, Yeates (Quinn 73), Taylor, Cresswell (Bartley 81), Kozluk, James (Ward 67), Chapell.
Unused: Roe, Crichton, Speed.