The Blades first task of the month was to dispose Oldham Athletic out of the FA Cup. Drawn at home for the second successive round hard work was made of the game after matt Done had netted early in the second half in front of the Kop End, Che Adams rash red card saw United end the game with ten men but advanced to the next round where they were rewarded with a difficult but financially rewarding trip to Manchester United.
In the League Nigel Adkins men had struggled to string any form of momentum, with their opening weeks spell of four consecutive victories gone they had slipped down the league, and had started December's calendar month 12th in the table. The visit of Coventry live on Sky would prove to be a difficult fixture, but having been under the cosh for the majority of the game, Billy Sharp headed home with 11 minutes remaining.
It would prove to be a fruitful month for the striker who would go onto net the game's only goal against his former club Scunthorpe United. With the trip to Wigan Athletic on Boxing Day looming these two results proved to be valuable. A down pour of snow overnight threatened the festive fixture and due to a frozen pitch the game at the DW Stadium was called off.
United ended the year in fine fashion, Sharp was again on target in his third successive match as United beat Bradford City by three goals to one at Bramall Lane.
Picture: Sheffield United's David Edgar (left) and Coventry City's Adam Armstrong with #5 John Brayford at the rear.
Sheffield United 1-0 Oldham Athletic
Saturday, 5th December 2015 - FA Cup Round 2
Ten-man Sheffield United booked their place in the third round of the FA Cup with a nervy 1-0 win over Oldham at Bramall Lane. A goal early in the second half from Matt Done was enough to secure the win for the Blades. Neither side were able to break the deadlock during a first half which saw very few chances.
Oldham came closest in the first period, with Danny Philliskirk turning Mark Yeates' low free-kick onto the post. The home side got the only goal of the game. Straight after the re-start. Done wriggled through the Oldham defence and calmly lifted the ball over David Cornell into the far corner in the 47th minute.
Twenty minutes later, the Blades were down to ten when striker Che Adams was given a straight red card after appearing to push Latics skipper Liam Kelly in the face. Oldham pressed for the equaliser but rarely threatened George Long's goal and were reduced to long-range shots from Philliskirk and Timothee Dieng. John Brayford almost added a second for United but one goal proved to be enough.
Sheffield United 1-0 Coventry City
Sunday, 13th December 2015 - League One
Substitute Billy Sharp's scrappy late goal earned Sheffield United a barely-deserved 1-0 win over second-placed Coventry. Chances were at a premium in the first half, but Coventry's Adam Armstrong had a low shot well saved by George Long following a fine through-ball from Ruben Lameiras. Ben Turner also threatened for the visitors, having a shot blocked and then putting the rebound over.
Long was forced to make a fine save early in the second half, tipping a volley from Lameiras over the bar. But the keeper went close to spilling the ball over the line following Jacob Murphy's effort. The goal came in the 80th minute when a corner from Paul Coutts was missed by keeper Reice Charles-Cook and the ball appeared to go in off Sharp's shoulder. To compound Coventry's misery, they had skipper Sam Ricketts sent-off in injury-time when he received a second yellow card for a reckless challenge on Chris Basham.
Scunthorpe United 0-1 Sheffield United
Saturday, 19th December 2015 - League One
Billy Sharp returned to haunt Scunthorpe with the only goal of the game that clinched Sheffield United their first away win since the end of August. It came in the 50th minute as this derby burst into life after a goalless opening half. Sharp, who netted 53 times in two seasons while at Scunthorpe, found room in a crowded box to steer a right-foot shot into the bottom far corner following a right-wing corner routine. It came just after a close-range effort from another Scunthorpe old boy, Martyn Woolford, had been brilliantly turned away by goalkeeper Luke Daniels.
The Blades had threatened to make the breakthrough in the first half but Dean Hammond missed one early chance while a cracking drive from Paul Coutts was well saved by Daniels. Scunthorpe looked short of attacking quality throughout much of the opening period but they did find a good response after going behind. Midfielder Tommy Rowe missed one great chance for an equaliser when he lifted his close-range shot just over at full stretch. Striker Luke Williams then brought the best out of keeper George Long with a terrific effort from 25 yards.
Centre-back Charlie Goode also fluffed a last-gasp header from a corner but their late flurry was not enough to save Scunthorpe from going into Christmas on the back of a third successive home defeat.
Wigan Athletic - Postponed - Sheffield United
Saturday, 26th December 2015 - League One
Sheffield United 3-1 Bradford City
Monday 28th December 2015
Goals from Billy Sharp and David Edgar and an own goal from Stephen Darby earned Sheffield United a comfortable 3-1 victory at home to Yorkshire rivals Bradford. Sharp opened the scoring in the 11th minute, neatly turning his marker on the edge of the area before striking low into the bottom corner. Bradford looked for a way back into the game and, just before half-time, a well-placed George Evans free-kick was tipped wide by the sprawling George Long.
The unfortunate Darby could do little else other than poke the ball into his own net after a mazy run and fizzing cross by Paul Coutts after 56 minutes. Edgar added a third for United in the 63rd minute, heading in a Martyn Woolford cross from close range. After Long kept them at bay, Bradford's persistence finally paid off with Gary Liddle heading in a near-post corner with seven minutes remaining. However, it proved to be a mere consolation and United stretched their unbeaten run to five games.