Nigel Clough hails Sheffield United character
Sheffield United manager Nigel Clough praised the application and attitude of his players after they beat Leyton Orient 1-0 to reach the fourth round of the Capital One Cup.
The Blades responded to their heavy defeat at Swindon on Saturday with a determined display that left their boss delighted.
He said: "It's a victory away from home and we are through to the next round. After Saturday's result, the main thing was to show some character, defend properly which the back four did and to a man, I think our players did their job outstandingly well tonight.
"We competed for every single ball tonight and there was good physicality about our play.
"Apart from a couple of long-range efforts and a header at the end, we contained an excellent Orient side. Tackles were going in, headers were being won.
"We want to progress as a team and want to improve and want to be more on the ball and more on the front foot but when there are times that we can't do that, then we are going to have to defend like we did here."
A goal after two minutes by Michael Higdon settled the tie to earn the Blades their second successive win in East London in the competition following their penalty shoot-out win over West Ham United in the previous round.
Although Orient enjoyed the greater possession, they rarely looked likely to pull back the deficit as the visitors marshalled their defensive lines to excellent effect to leave their opponents still seeking their first home win in front of their new owner Francesco Becchetti who purchased the club from Barry Hearn in the summer.
Leyton Orient boss Russell Slade, who is being closely linked with the vacant manager's job at Cardiff, felt his side were just not clinical enough.
He said: "It was very frustrating that we didn't get the win tonight. I thought it was a good game tonight between two good sides but we didn't seem to have that final finish, that final ball in the final third, we didn't seem to have that in the bank tonight."
Speaking about the interest from Cardiff and whether he expected to be in charge of Orient for their match with Rochdale on Saturday, Slade said: "Their approach has been turned down, that's all I can say and I've got no further comment to make.
"I don't know whether I'll be here on Saturday, whether Cardiff come back again, I'm not sure. Maybe they will move on.
"Obviously everyone wants to better themselves and when you've been in League One and come so close to promotion as we did at Orient last season when we were just one kick away from the Championship, it is frustrating.
"Cardiff is a big club and it will be a big job for somebody that eventually ends up with it."