Sheffield United's cup heroics continued as Steve Kabba fired the winner against Yorkshire rivals Leeds.

Having been dumped out of the Worthington Cup at the semi-final stage, Neil Warnock's side earned themselves the chance to make amends with a thoroughly deserved second win over the Elland Road outfit.

Leeds, lethargic and lacking in spirit, were eventually sunk by Kabba 12 minutes from time, the former Crystal Palace man lashing home a sweet finish after Danny Mills had half-blocked a shot as United poured forward desperate to avoid a replay.

That would merely have got in the way of their push for promotion to the Premiership, but even Neil Warnock will struggle to stick the cup on the back burner at Bramall Lane now.

Leeds, in contrast, now have nothing left from a campaign that has lurched from crisis to crisis off the field and failed to hit any decent heights on it. Their season at stake, they were second best in every department and although they will feel hard-done-by at the timing of the goal, they got what they deserved.

So did Sheffield United. From the moment Kabba embarrassed Ian Harte into a booking, we were clearly in for another flexing of Nationwide muscles and poking in the eye of so-called Premiership giants.

Shaun Murphy looped the game's first effort into the arms of Paul Robinson, before Harry Kewell wasted a golden chance after being freed by Alan Smith, drilling straight at Paddy Kenny before blazing the rebound horribly over the top.

That gave the Blades the lift they needed and only Seth Johnson's last-ditch tackle stopped Nick Montgomery shattering the dour deadlock as Leeds - crucially, not for the last time - failed to clear their lines.

Another Harte abhorration, this one a ridiculous back-header, bounced off an unwitting Allison and just wide, as the second half started with the red half of Sheffield starting to realise that could realistically set their sights on another semi-final - without the need for a replay.

With Stuart McCall, one of several Leeds fans in Warnock's side, providing ample protection for his back four allowing the younger legs to  carry the offensive threat, the Blades offered nothing blindingly different, but did what they do well and in Kabba, had a striker who is in form.

Having enjoyed a decent first half, the former Crystal Palace man clearly had a taste for the battle now and with Michael Tonge, Michael Brown and Wayne Allison giving their guests plenty to ponder, he also unsettled Harte but saw his rising effort well tipped over by Robinson.

Kenny clutched a Seth Johnson drive as Leeds somehow fashioned a chance without the help of the frontline of Smith, Mark Viduka and latterly Eirik Bakke, none of whom got any decent possession and none of who showed any great desire to drag their side into the semis.

Indeed, the players knew they had a responsibility not spark any confrontations on the terraces, but Venables' men took the warning too far and failed to offer any fight on the field - even if their beloved boss' future could well be at stake.

They would do well to learn a thing or two from their opponents when it comes to digging in and fittingly it was the tireless Kabba who stole the spotlight 12 minutes from time.

Brown whipped a free-kick in from the right at the second time of asking, Murphy headed back and although Mills got in the way of Tonge's snap-shot, before a defender could react to the dropping ball, Kabba had steadied himself and lashed past the unsighted Robinson.

Even then Leeds could not muster a response other than a Mills elbow on Rob Kozluk and it was the Blades who came close to adding a second, Robinson forced into a flying stop from Brown's free-kick after Phil Jagielka and Tonge had seemingly muffed the build-up in a comedy collision that smacked of the canny Warnock's training-ground work.

In the end, the cushion of that second goal was not needed and the Blades spent the closing stages in control, while their supporters steeled themselves for another crack at Cardiff and Leeds sloped off to prepare for another pasting from all corners.

Sheff Utd: Kenny, Jagielka, Murphy, Page, Kozluk, Montgomery, Brown, McCall, Tonge, Allison, Kabba.
Subs Not Used: Peschisolido, Ten Heuvel, Javary, Cryan, Smith.
Booked: Kabba. 

Leeds: Robinson, Mills, Radebe, Lucic, Harte (Milner 81), Smith, Seth Johnson, Okon (Barmby 81), Bravo, Viduka, Kewell (Bakke 45).
Subs Not Used: Martyn, Kilgallon.
Booked: Harte, Seth Johnson, Mills, Radebe.

Att: 24,633
Ref: S Bennett (Kent)