It came after Charlie Goode was sent off for the Blades for a two-footed tackle on Reda Khadra on the halfway line midway through the second half. Minutes later Brighton loanee Khadra saw a penalty wonderfully saved by Wes Foderingham.

Foderingham also produced a brilliant reaction save when Oliver Norwood slashed at a Rovers free-kick and sent the ball towards his own goal before Davies' late intervention gave the home side an unlikely and potentially crucial win.

The win moves the Blades back into the top six while Blackburn slip to fifth after they failed to score in five successive league matches for the first time in their history.

Defeat was harsh on Tony Mowbray's men who will be left ruing Khadra's penalty miss, after John Egan had handled his cross, and an excellent display from Foderingham.

Sheffield United enjoyed the better of the first half and should have taken the lead when Billy Sharp made space for himself at the back post but sent his header from Sander Berge's pinpoint cross wide, while George Baldock drew a fine save from Kaminski.

Paul Heckingbottom's men are now nine games without defeat and could yet haul themselves into automatic promotion contention.

They travel to Millwall, who have won their past three games, on Saturday while Blackburn will look to turn their fortunes around against another play-off hopeful QPR on the same day.

Sheffield United boss Paul Heckingbottom:

"It's the best way to win, for lots of reasons. Everyone will tell you who has been involved in games like this.

"For me, it reinforces everything we've been trying to do. We've been trying to get this place bouncing. We've been trying to reignite that connection between the fans and the players.

"I think the ref helped us today. I think the sending-off helped us and the penalty save helped us.

"It was a red (card) - I've got no arguments with that. I think the ref got that right. It's a penalty, definitely, as well - I can't argue with that. But everything else he probably got wrong.

"Those decisions and Wes' save meant that the fans became the 11th man in the end, which was really important. The one thing which is a given is that the players will work hard, and fans respond to that."

Blackburn manager Tony Mowbray:

"I think over 90 minutes we did more than enough to win the game but that's football - it's cruel sometimes. You've got to give them a lot of credit for digging in and sticking at it. They got their rewards late on.

"I think this team is full of energy, legs, athleticism and ability. We're just a team who graft and work hard, ask questions of the opposition.

"Did we give them enough problems? I think so. We have to find ways to win matches. Tonight we maybe should have won 1-0.

"They need telling how good they are and what a brilliant team ethic they've got. We have to stick together and keep going."