Despite enjoying the better chances in the game, United's youthful second-string were unable to find a winner against a determined Darlington side at Norton & Stockton Ancients on Wednesday afternoon.

Both teams agreed to play the fixture, despite the referee wanting to call a halt to proceedings because of the elements.

In the gale force winds in the North-East, Jordan Eagers and substitute Goran Slavkovski come closest to breaking the deadlock for the Blades.

The conditions caused havoc for both teams, with neither side getting any real possession in the final third.

Darlington had the first meaningful effort on goal late in the first-half, but Furniss saved comfortably after a long-range, wind assisted strike from 40 yards.

The interval brought some welcome restpite for both sets of players, and on the hour mark United introduced on loan Inter Milan star Goran Slavkovski in an attempt to break the stalemate.

Slavkovski showed some nice touches in the ever testing conditions and, as the visitors pressed on, he just failed to convert after getting sent through on goal.

A few moments later the Darlo keeper saved excellent from Slavkovski's header, before Eagers missed a decent chance from close-range.

United ended the dominant team as the home side began to tire and Law's long-range piledriver went narrowly over after he had beaten a couple of players in the build-up.

Coach Ron Reid was pleased with his defence during a testing afternoon, although he was left to rue the missed chances, which could have seen the Blades regain top-spot in the Pontins Holiday League East:

"The back-four were solid throughout, with Lowton and Chanot coping very well with the threat of their forwards. Chapman and Binnion were good in possession and sound defensively.

"Overall the conditions spoilt the game, although I am slightly disappointed we couldn't covert one of our chances when we were on top towards the end."

Blades: Furniss, Chapman, Binnion, Wedgbury, Chanot, Lowton, Law (Walker 73), S.Quinn (Eagers 62), Ba, Abdi (Slavkovski 60), K.Quinn.
Unused: Ho Lee, Oliver.