Carlisle United 0 Sheffield Wednesday 0: Carlisle United earned a replay at Hillsborough with a dogged effort in their FA Cup third round clash with Sheffield Wednesday.

The Blues held off the Championship side at Brunton Park and will be involved in Monday's fourth round draw, when they will be ball number 32.

The visitors hit the woodwork twice but Carlisle otherwise defended strongly.

United also had chances of their own, with Hallam Hope going close and Sam Cosgrove having an effort disallowed for offside.

In front of 7,793 fans, including 1,916 travelling supporters, the visitors almost took the lead inside two minutes when Liam Palmer crossed from the right and Atdhe Nuhiu's header came back off the woodwork.

The Championship outfit had most of the ball in the early stages and Jack Bonham was called on to save from Nuhiu on 11 minutes.

Clear-cut chances, though, were scarce as the Blues defended with resolve.

And with Cosgrove winning his share of headers on only his fourth Blues start, United carved out a couple of their own openings.

The best came on 26 minutes, when James Brown fed Hope and the recalled striker took on his man before firing across goal and just wide.

Hope's return to the side came at the expense of Shaun Miller, with Brown in place of Tom Miller, in the two changes made by manager Keith Curle.

Adam Reach sent a tame shot wide before the break, with Wednesday then upping their tempo in the second half.

Lucas Joao almost broke the deadlock on the hour but his header from a Palmer cross hit the outside of the post.

Ross Wallace then went close from 25 yards as the second-tier outfit looked for the breakthrough.

United, though, remained competitive and thought they had gone in front on 69 minutes when Jamie Devitt picked out man-of-the-match Cosgrove to head past Joe Wildsmith.

The offside flag, though, cut short Carlisle's celebrations.

Devitt then failed to make the most of a Reggie Lambe pass, before the Bermudan had an effort saved at the near post.

Lambe limped off in the closing stages as United claimed a well-earned draw and a second crack at the Owls, whose new boss Jos Luhukay will be in charge for the replay after caretaker Lee Bullen remained at the helm for this game.

United say the replay will be played on Tuesday, January 16, subject to any TV coverage.

United: Bonham, Liddle, Hill, Parkes, Brown, Grainger, Jones, Devitt, Lambe (O'Sullivan 85), Hope (S Miller 77), Cosgrove (Bennett 77). Not used: Bacon, T Miller, Nabi, Ellis.

Sheff Wed: Wildsmith, Palmer, Venancio, Loovens, Fox, Jones, Wallace, Boyd (Rhodes 68), Reach, Nuhiu (Matias 78), Joao. Not used: Dawson, Butterfield, Baker, O'Grady, Pudil.