Birmingham City missed the chance to close the gap to the Championship play-off positions after they were held to a draw by 10-man Sheffield United.

Chris Davies' side remain seven points off sixth-placed Wrexham after failing to get past a stubborn Blades outfit who were reduced to 10 men when defender Femi Seriki was sent off on 23 minutes.

Marvin Ducksch scored his 10th league goal of the season from the resulting free-kick only for Patrick Bamford to equalise just before the half-time whistle.

In between the goals Birmingham goalkeeper James Beadle saved a Sheffield United penalty from Sydie Peck after defender Jack Robinson was penalised in bizarre circumstances for picking the ball up after believing it had gone dead.

The home side will wonder how they failed to take all three points from this game. While Sheffield United carved out a chance or two in the second half it was very much against one way traffic.

The Blades had to rely on an excellent display in goal from Adam Davies to keep a charging Birmingham at bay with Demarai Gray twice denied.

Ducksch also saw an effort kept out by Davies and twice hit the crossbar, the first with a header and the second with another free-kick.

There was little argument about Seriki's dismissal with the defender clumsily bringing down Ibrahim Osman after Patrick Roberts' through ball sent the forward racing in just outside the area.

Referee Tim Robinson rightly judged Seriki to be the last man with team-mate Tyler Bindon not close enough to be considered a covering defender.

There was no stopping Ducksch's bullet free-kick from 20 yards either with Davies beaten in the top right corner.

Shortly after Sheffield United were awarded a penalty after a strange miscalculation from defender Robinson following a long floated ball over the heads of the Birmingham defence.

Beadle caught the ball then rolled it to Robinson, who, believing the ball had gone out of play, picked it up and placed it down for a goal kick, the official booking him and pointing to the spot.

It was a lifeline Sheffield United failed to grab with Peck's spot-kick saved by Beadle in the bottom left corner.

Yet the visitors were level just before the break after Bamford at full stretch brought a long ball from Harrison Burrows under control, rounded the keeper and slotted home from a tightening angle.

It was pretty much all Blues in the second half but as much as they huffed, puffed and created a handful of chances, Davies was in inspired form and they were unable to find a winner.

Birmingham City manager Chris Davies told BBC Radio WM:

"Obviously there's a frustration there because in a game we felt we should win.

"I think we started pretty well, even up until they had the red card and obviously get a goal straight from it and you think right, now we just need to keep pushing and try and get that second goal.

"So we concede a really sloppy goal just on the stroke of half-time. It gives them something to hang on to, gives them a certain belief.

"Then it was just a case in the second half, could we score a goal? It was one-way traffic, obviously.

"We hit the bar and post a few times in the match, but fine margins, a few inches either way, and it goes in and we win that game comfortably but we just didn't do enough to score."

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield:

"The game is not always celebrated by wins or draws, but I feel it's a huge point for us and an absolutely fabulous performance.

"A bonkers game, an absolutely nuts game. I can get questioned on tactics if I don't get it right, or team selection.

"If we put it out there and had a poll about who should be playing, I get all that. I've been through all that situation and I understand negativity towards performances.

"We weren't good enough in the second half and turned the ball over cheaply. That's a technical thing, not an attitude thing."