Derry hails 'unbelievable' point

Mike Edwards prodded in Gary Jones' corner in the first half after home goalkeeper Mark Howard had flapped at the delivery, and although Murphy headed home Bob Harris' cross in the 76th minute, Derry still came away from South Yorkshire more than satisfied.

"It was an unbelievable point and a fantastic response from the disappointment of last week," said Derry.

"They had spirit in abundance - the guys are brilliant to work with. They really adapted to our system and restricted Sheffield United to just half chances, though we just couldn't hold on."

Stephen McLaughlin should have increased County's lead just a couple of minutes before Murphy's equaliser when he was put through on goal, with just Howard to beat. But he took a fraction too long to pull the trigger and Jay McEveley got back to superbly divert his shot over the bar.

Derry said: "Stephen's been absolutely brilliant. At 1-0 up you get that chance and you want to put it away - we all wanted him to, but it just didn't happen, but we dug in and held on.

"I would have taken a point before we came here."

Derry paid tribute to veteran defender Edwards who scored his first gal in two and a half years adding: "He is just a lovely guy, who loves the club.

"He came in as a strength conditioner and he has ended up being our centre-half. He cooks the meals on the way up and will be on the way home as well. He is a top, top guy."

Blades boss Nigel Clough, who was unable to field new loan signing Chris O'Grady due to a calf problem, was content with a point although his side were booed off at both half time and full time by the disgruntled home fans.

"We struggled to going, but played with a little bit more urgency in the second half," said Clough. "We kept complicating it a little bit. Sometimes we passed it around the halfway line too much, we've got to get it forward and hit the frontman."

United looked toothless in attack and hardly troubled visiting County keeper Roy Carroll, with Michael Higdon and Jose Baxter both off target in the first half, although defender Chris Basham should have levelled after the break when his close-range effort was kept out by Carroll.

"When you're chasing from 1-0 down to a team that has not lost on the road, you're just happy not to have lost the game," admitted the Blades manager.

"In terms of endeavour, we couldn't have done much more in terms of pressing forward in trying to get a winner."

Clough hailed Murphy's equaliser, his fourth league goal of the season, adding: "It was a great cross from Bob and it was a brilliant header. He was a major threat all evening.

"He gets into so many holes and spaces to get the ball and run at people. It's brilliant to have that option - I wish I could have one of him wide and one of him in the middle."