It was an action-packed second half at Bramall Lane but there was no good news for Coventry City as they lost 2-1 to Sheffield United.
A goal from Billy Sharp and Gary Speed's penalty had seen the home side go 2-0 up after the break, although an Elliott Ward goal, also from the penalty spot, had given the Sky Blues a glimmer of hope.
The result marked Coventry City's eighth successive defeat in the league away from home.
Chris Coleman named an unchanged 16 for the trip to face the Blades.
The team and subs were both the same for the clash against Kevin Blackwell's men, as the Sky Blues attempted to win on the road in the Championship for the first time in eight games.
The Sky Blues had a glorious opportunity to take the lead in just the fourth minute when Scott Dann saw his shot blocked by the keeper and then cleared off the line before from the ensuing scramble, City claimed for a penalty when Best appeared to be bundled over in the box.
The decision wasn't given and the action switched right to the other end, where Beattie beat the advancing Andy Marshall to the ball on the edge of the area and Fox was forced to hack the danger away as it bounced towards goal.
The home team had the ball in the back of the net on 19 minutes when Sharp turned in David Carney's cross but the flag was up and the goal wouldn't stand.
Leon Best turned well in the box before curling one around the post with half an hour gone, before Danny Fox also tried his luck from distance as the rain poured down at Bramall Lane.
The Sky Blues created another opportunity just before the break when Thornton's strike towards goal was deflected wide from a corner, but Dann's chance from the follow-up was pushed around the post by Kenny to leave it goalless at the interval.
Both sides emerged for the second half looking sharp but it was Coventry who had the first opportunity with 49 on the clock when Mifsud shot into the side netting.
The Blades made a change when Rob Hulse replaced James Beattie with 57 gone, before Ward went into the book for impeding Kenny four minutes later.
Disaster struck for the Sky Blues on 69 minutes when Sheffield United took the lead. David Cotterill's cross from the right found Sharp on the edge of the six yard box and the striker made no mistake as he rose above the City defence to head home past Marshall.
It went from bad to worse for Coventry City in the 75th minutes when United were awarded a penalty after the referee adjudged that Hughes had pushed Sharp. From the resulting spot kick, Gary Speed saw his penalty saved by Marshall but he had no problem tucking away the rebound to make it 2-0.
After Sharp had fired wide in a glorious opportunity for the home side, Coventry had the chance to make it 2-1 on 80 minutes when they were awarded a penalty for Morgan's foul on Mifsud. Ward took the penalty and made no mistake with his delivery to pull one back for Coleman's men.
But it was to stay 2-1, with the Sky Blues now desperate to put an end to their away day blues.
Sheffield United: Kenny; Naysmith; Morgan; Beattie (Hulse, 57); Cotterill (Ehiogu, 90); Carney (Gillespie, 64); Speed; Kilgallon; Tonge; Sharp; Geary.
Subs: Stead; Bennett;
Coventry: Marshall; Osbourne; Fox; Ward; Dann; Hughes S; Doyle; Tabb; Thornton; Best; Mifsud
Subs: Ireland; Simpson; Hall; Andrews; Gray
Attendance: 23,864
Bookings: Ward, Sharp; Hulse, Tabb, Hughes, Fox, Osbourne
