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30th October Sheffield United 0 Coventry City 1 (Attendance: 20,059)
Simonsen, Taylor (Lowton 45), Nosworthy, Morgan, Bartley, Britton, Ertl (Evans 65), Quinn (Reid 57), Yeates, Cresswell, Ward.
Subs Not Used: Wright, Montgomery, Bogdanovic, Calve.
Man of The Match: Andy Reid.
Coventry Line-up: Westwood, Keogh, Cranie, Wood, Turner, Carsley (c), Clingan, McSheffrey (Clarke 75), Gunnarsson (Baker 69), Platt, Jutkiewicz (King 73).
Subs Not Used: Ireland, McPake, Doyle, O'Donovan.
Scorer: McSheffrey 23.
Referee: David Foster (Tyne & Wear).
A first-half header was enough to condemn Sheffield United to 1-0 home defeat and continue the misery at the Lane.
Gary Speed made three changes with Jamie Ward, Kyle Bartley and Andy Taylor all returning to the line-up. The Blades had new loan signing Andy Reid the bench. The defensive changes meant that Nyron Nosworthy went to left-back, Taylor at right-back and Bartley partnered Chris Morgan in central defence.
The first chance of the game fell to the Blades. A long kick from goalkeeper Steve Simonsen reached Ward and when the ball bounced, he played the ball back to Richard Cresswell but his 18-yard strike flew over the bar. The visitors then had an opportunity when Sammy Clingan clipped a free-kick from wide on the left into the area and Lukas Jutkiewicz's glancing header took a slight deflection as the ball went wide of the target. United went close to breaking the deadlock in the tenth minute when Stephen Quinn's thunderbolt from 22 yards crashed against the crossbar.
Then, Morgan was adjudged to have fouled Jutkiewicz and McSheffrey's free-kick from just outside the box drifted over the bar. Coventry went ahead in the 23rd minute after some poor defending. Aron Gunnarsson played an inviting ball into the box from the right wing. Nosworthy was statuesque in his marking and Clive Platt easily headed back across goal. McSheffrey showed his goal poaching instincts by sending a looping header from six yards into the top corner of the net.
The Lane crowd had given the players some patience before the goal, but their anger at the way the goal was conceived was apparent. This seemed to inhibit the players and Coventry started to take control. Jutkiewicz delivered a right-wing cross which Platt chested down into the path of the onrushing Clingan and he fired a 20-yard strike arrowed inches past the target.
Mark Yeates' left wing cross was headed beyond goalkeeper Keiren Westwood's right-hand post by Quinn With five minutes reaming in the half, a miss-placed header from Richard Wood dropped into the path of Ward and he raced forward to lob Westwood from 20 yards only for the ball to hit a post.
There were the usual boos at half-time from the Lane crowd, although the referee received quite a few boos for his handling of the half, seeming to favour the visitors in many decision’s.
Matt Lowton replaced an out of sorts Andy Taylor for the Blades at the start of the second half. The visitors might have extended their lead two minutes after the break when they were awarded a free-kick after Jutkiewicz was fouled by a combination of Morgan and Quinn. Midfielder Clingan stepped up and his fierce 30-yard free-kick was palmed away by Simonsen. Lowton reacted quickly to prevent Jutkieicz from getting to the rebound.
Gary Speed made a further change in the 56th minute when Reid made his bow for the club taking over from Quinn. And he nearly made an instant impression when his free-kick three minutes later bounced off the bar as the Blades hit the woodwork for the third time in the match.
At the other end, United were lucky when Clingans’ 30-yard free-kick took a big deflection for the ball to land on the roof of the net and then Ben Turner forced Simonsen into a save with a snap-shot from ten yards out. United went for an all-out attack approach in their search for an equaliser as Evans replaced midfielder Johnny Ertl in the 65th minute. The Sky Blues made several changes to their line-up when Carl Baker -came on for Gunnarsson four minutes later and the detested Marlon King made an appearance when he replaced Jutkiewicz. Sex offender King was booed every time he touched the ball - a player who should have never been allowed back into football in this country. The flurry of City substitutions continued with McSheffrey making way for Jordan Clarke.
United have not being dominating at home compared with seasons’ past, but the players were giving everything in their pursuit of a goal. Yeates' strike from 16 yards was comfortably saved by Westwood on his line just before the fourth official signalled five minutes of additional time. The Sky Blues keeper then used his legs to deny Evans and Reid shot wide with a last ditch effort.
Blades Player Performance Ratings v. Coventry: Simonsen 6, Taylor 5, Lowton 6, Nosworthy 5, Morgan 6, Bartley 7, Britton 5, Ertl 5, Evans 6, Quinn 6, Reid 7, Yeates 6, Cresswell 6, Ward 6.
23rd October Doncaster Rovers 2 Sheffield United 0 (Attendance: 8,985)
Simonsen, Calve, De Laet, Morgan, Nosworthy, Britton, Ertl (Lowton 58), Quinn, Yeates, Cresswell (Slew 84), Bogdanovic (Ward 51).
Subs Not Used: Wright, Taylor, Bartley, James.
Bookings: Quinn 20.
Man of The Match: Jamie Ward.
Doncaster Rovers Line-up: Sullivan, Mills, Dumbuya, O'Connor, Martis (Lockwood 76), Hayter, Oster, Stock, M. Woods (Hird 80), Coppinger, Sharp (Shiels 45).
Subs Not Used: Webster, Wilson, G. Woods.
Bookings: Dumbuya 45+2.
Scorers: Coppinger 33, Sharp 42.
Referee: Keith Hill (Hertfordshire).
Billy Sharp struck against his hometown club as Doncaster's passing game proved too good for Sheffield United in a 2-0 derby win and, their first home victory over the Blades since April 1983.
The Blades made just one change from the side that won at Hull in midweek. It saw the return of Richie De Laet at left-back, taking over from the injured Stephen Jordan. Rovers made four changes with Shelton Martis, James O'Connor, Martin Woods and James Hayter all returning to the starting line-up after injury.
In the first minute, Martin Woods got in a low shot in for the home side that was only inches past the post, with goalkeeper Steve Simonsen struggling to cover. Shortly after, Daniel Bogdanovic had a half chance, but the home side were soon back attacking when James Coppinger had a low shot that was well saved by Simonsen. The pressure by Rovers on the United defence gave ex-Blades Billy Sharp a double chance of a shot and then John Oster got in a low shot that was just wide of the post.
Mark Yeates then tried an overhead kick in the Rovers penalty area that was easy for goalkeeper Neil Sullivan to collect. After 32 minutes Rovers went ahead, a poor header out of defence by Nyron Nosworthy fell straight for Doncaster and a neat one-two allowed Coppinger cut in from the right easily beating a sleeping De Laet and the stranded Nosworthy, and slotted past Simonsen for the opening goal of the game.
The United keeper was called into action minutes later to get to a cross from Coppinger before Sharp arrived. The Blades then won successive corners in the 38th minute but nothing came from them. Back came the home side and a move down their left gave Hayter a chance of a shot at goal with a rattling drive that Simonsen, diving to his left, pushed away but Sharp was first to the ball and rifled into the net in the 42nd minute. Unfortunately for Sharp, he picked up an injury shortly afterwards and had to be replaced. On the half-time whistle, the traveling Unitedites let their side know what they thought about the first half performance with resounding boo’s. The defending of the full-backs and less than convincing defending from Nosworthy were the reasons for those boo’s and who can blame them.
Talk was that Jamie Ward would be introduced after the break to add some pace. As has been said here in recent weeks, United lack pace up-front and their play is very predictable. When the sides came back out, it was clear it was the same eleven. Six minutes into the half and Ward finally made his entrance trotting on to replace Bogdanic who had had no service at all today.
Shortly after his entrance Ward nearly got the equaliser when he just failed to get on the end of Richard Creswell’s’ flick forward. Ward lifted the ball over the goalkeeper but could not find the target.
For the first fifteen minutes of the second half the Blades tried put pressure on the Rovers but the home team weathered it and began to get back into the game. A storming run down the Rovers right by Mustapha Dumbuy allowed him pass inside to Hayter on the edge of the United penalty area. He laid the ball back to Stock, who fired over the bar. A diabolical header by Nosworthy then gave the Unitedites another moment of concern when he let the ball bounce off his head and it landed on top of the United goal.
Ward was looking lively and he linked up with Yeates on the left and the latters’ well hit shot was saved by keeper Sullivan. With 15 minutes remaining United were given a free-kick and Yeates found Cresswell at the far post, but his header was woeful and the chance was gone. Then, Ward went down under a challenge from Joseph Mills in the penalty area and the referee waived for play to continue. It could have easily had been a penalty on another day. Yeates again fired into the arms of Sullivan in injury-time, but there was no way back. It had been an embarrassment to watch for the Unbitedites, particularly the first half perfomance. But, Rovers deserved the win; they outplayed United in every department today.
Blades Player Performance Ratings v. Doncaster Rovers: Simonsen 6, Calve 5, De Laet 5, Morgan 6, Nosworthy 5, Britton 5, Ertl 5, Lowton 6, Quinn 6, Yeates 7, Cresswell 5, Slew 6, Bogdanovic 6, Ward 7.
20th October Manager Gary Speed was delighted with the way his players responded to his half-time team-talk as they won 1-0 at Hull. Mark Yeates scored a superb solo effort early in the second half of Tuesday night's Championship clash at the KC Stadium to claim the points from a dull game.
"I'm delighted with the result and the performance," Speed said.
"In the first half we looked solid in defence, but on the ball we were poor.
"At half-time I had a word with them and told them that they needed to have more belief.
"Sometimes we don't do ourselves justice and don't show enough belief, but in the second half we did and we started to create a few chances.
The win lifts United up to 17th place in the league.
"We have had two good performances, but we've got to carry it on," Speed said. "In this league you can't have off days because you'll get caught out and get punished.
"We haven't had two back-to-back wins this season yet, but we've got to go to Doncaster on Saturday and believe in ourselves when we're on the ball."
On Yeates, he added: "The goal was no surprise to me, but in the first half he was a shadow of himself and how he played on Saturday because he didn't have enough belief.
"I told him at half-time to buck up his ideas and he did. I don't mind him making mistakes in the right areas, and I told him to get in the final third and create. He's a talent and he's really pleased with him."
19th October Hull City 0 Sheffield United 1 (Attendance: 20,276)
Simonsen, Calve, Jordan (De Laet 48), Nosworthy, Morgan, Ertl, Britton, Bogdanovic (Ward 63), Yeates (Lowton 90), Cresswell, Quinn.
Subs Not Used: Wright, Taylor, Bartley, Slew.
Bookings: Morgan 74.
Scorer: Yeates 53.
Man of The Match: Chris Morgan.
Hull City Line-up: Dawson, McShane, Garcia (Simpson 58), Folan (Bostock 58), Kilbane, Cairney, Cullen (Vine 58), Koren, Gerrard, Ayala.
Subs Not Used: Mannone, Ashbee, Barmby, Solano.
Bookings: Ayala 36, Gerrard 74.
Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire).
Mark Yeates grabbed the only goal of the game as United beat Hull City 1-0 in their Championship clash at the KC Stadium.
Stephen Jordan returned to the Blades line-up in place of Ritchie De Laet and Jamie Ward, available again after suspension, was also amongst the substitutes. The Tigers made one change with Kevin Kilbane coming in for Rowan Vine. Hull were straight onto the attack, with Mark Cullen seeing a shot blocked by defender Chris Morgan after just 40 seconds. A couple of early corners also tested United although they came to nothing.
That was as exciting as it got until the 19th minute when the home side zipped the ball around the edge of the Blades box before Robert Koren blasted a shot just wide. Daniel Ayala was shown the first yellow card of the game for a hard challenge on Stephen Quinn.
United threatened for the first time in the 42nd minute from a corner which was met by Morgan and produced a good save from Matt Duke. Hull were almost gifted a goal in the opening minute of the second half when Richard Garcia's deflected cross was cleared against the legs of Cullen, the ball going just wide of goalkeeper Steve Simonsen's left hand post.
Yeates picked up possession on the left, and then put the ball through McShane legs, sidestepped Anthony Gerrard and Ayala before firing low past goalkeeper Matt Duke's right hand at the near post to make it 1-0 to the Blades.
Gary Speeds’ men continued in the ascendancy, Johnny Ertl’s storming run and then decent crossed from Substitute De Laet and Richard Cresswell forced Hull boss Pearson to use all three of his substitutions in one fell swoop, as Vine, Jay Simpson and John Bostock replaced Cullen, Garcia and Caleb Folan.
Tom Cairney missed a good opportunity when getting on the end of Ayala's ball down the line. The Scottish midfielder turned inside his marker, but curled wide of the far post from 15 yards out. With 17 minutes remaining, Ward replaced Daniel Bogdanovic and Cresswell moved to a central attacking position. Hull came close soon after, Bostock then went close with a 30 yard free kick that went just over the bar. Defenders Gerrard and Morgan were both booked after a coming together while waiting for the taking of a Blades set-piece.
United were now holding on and became more defensive looking to conter when possible. With three minutes to go, Paul McShane almost brought City level when he met Kilbane's cross, but he headed wide and in injury time, Bostock was denied by a good save from Simonsen.
Blades Player Performance Ratings v. Hull: Simonsen 6, Calve 6, Jordan 6, Nosworthy 7, De Laet 6, Morgan 8, Ertl 7, Britton 6, Bogdanovic 6, Ward 7, Yeates 8, Lowton -, Cresswell 7, Quinn 7.
16th October Sheffield United 3 Burnley 3 (Attendance: 22,936)
Simonsen , Calve, De Laet (Jordan 85), Morgan, Nosworthy, Britton, Ertl (Lowton 78), Quinn, Yeates, Cresswell, Bogdanovic (Evans 69),
Subs Not Used: Montgomery, Bartley, Wright, Slew.
Bookings: Britton 41, Lowton 80.
Scorers: Bogdanovic 57, Lowton 82, Yeates 90+4.
Man of The Match: Mark Yeates.
Burnley Line-up: Jensen, Mears, Fox (Edgar 66), Cort, Bikey, Cork, Elliott, Eagles (Wallace 74), Marney, Iwelumo (Thompson 74), Rodriguez.
Subs Not Used: Alexander, Eckersley, Paterson, Grant.
Bookings: Rodriguez 38, Fox 62.
Scorers: Marney 49, Eagles (pen) 54, Rodriguez 90.
Referee: Eddie Ilderton (Tyne & Wear).
An injury time goal from Mark Yeates salvaged the Blades a point in an entertaining match at the Lane.
United made two changes with Chris Morgan and Leo Britton returning to their regular starting positions. Richie De Laet switched to left-back to accommodate Nyron Nosworthy at centre-back.
For the Clarets, the suspension of Clarke Carlisle and injury to Michael Duff brought Leon Cort into a new-look back line where he joined André Bikey.
The game's first chance went the way of the Blades when Yeates sent the ball down the left to Daniel Bogdanovic, who pulled the ball back for Johnny Ertl and he was given the space to rifle in a shot which the formidable Brian Jensen touched over the crossbar at full stretch.
A couple of early free-kick’s came and went for the Clarets, Chris Eagles orchestrating them and he was the main threat early on as both sides looked for a foothold in a scrappy opening quarter. A United move involving Richard Cresswell and Jean Calve ended when Yeates cut inside and fired over. Then, Bikey should have headed Burnley ahead after 28 minutes from a Danny Fox corner, but his downward header lacked direction and bounced up and over the bar.
Eagles’ was ever dangerous and he combined brilliantly with Wade Elliott, Chris Iwelumo just failed to get a touch in front of goal to Eagles' driven cross. Six minutes later it was the Blades turn, an effort from Stephen Quinn was pushed away by Jensen. Then a free-kick just outside the 18 yeard box gave United another opportunity, and after discussion between Quinn, Bogdanovic and Yeates, it was the former who stepped up and fired a shot that was deflected wide and then the Irishman curled the second, moments later, against the foot of Jensen's right post.
The second half kicked off with United attacking the Shoreham Kop. Quinn almost opened the scoring with a skidding low drive which Jensen saved well down to his left. Jay Rodriguez was booked for a tackle on De Laet and from the free-kick Yeates saw his shot deflected just wide.
Yeates popped up again with a shot from the edge of the penalty area which again forced Jensen to turn over the top. But the Clarets suddenly struck twice in five minutes to swing the game emphatically their way.
Agricultural midfielder Marney timed his run into the penalty area perfectly to meet a cross from Eagles’ and glanced a header past goalkeeper Steve Simonsen. Marney was then involved again in a move from back to front which ended with right-back Tyrone Mears bursting into the box and being bundled over by De Laet in front of the Burnley fans. Eagles drove his spot-kick into the top corner to make it 2-0 for the visitors.
The Clarets should have seen the game out from there, but the Blades were handed an unexpected lifeline after 57 minutes. There looked to be little danger when Mears controlled the ball, but an unfortunate slip suddenly left Bogdanovic with a run at goal and the Blades striker kept his composure to slide a shot into the bottom corner and re-ignite the Lane crowd.
The momentum was now with United and eight minutes from time they made it 2-2. Matt Lowton's only contribution since coming off the bench had been to collect a yellow card for a foul on Ross Wallace but the youngster was in the right place at the right time to claim his first senior goal when a deflected cross from Yeates dropped for him to convert from eight yards. The Clarets looked at that stage to be hanging on to claim just a point but the prospect of all three suddenly re-surfaced.
Mears made amends for his early slip with a storming run and pass to Jay Rodriguez. The Clarets striker drilled a low shot across Simonsen and into the far corner to give the visitors 3-2 lead and stun the Lane faithful.
The moment the ball hit the back of the net many Blades fans made for the exits, but the drama had not yet finished. With five minutes of injury time added, Yeates collected a pass from Stephen Jordan to poke home the most dramatic of equalisers firing past Jensen and then celebrating with the Kop. It had been a better performance form the Blades today, especially up front, defensively United are still conceding too many goals.
Blades Player Performance Ratings v. Burnley: Simonsen 5, Calve 6, De Laet 5, Jordan 7, Morgan 6, Nosworthy 6, Britton 6, Ertl 6, Lowton 7, Quinn 7, Yeates 8, Cresswell 7, Bogdanovic 7, Evans 6.
2nd October Sheffield United 0 Watford 1 (Attendance: 22,433)
Simonsen, Calve, Jordan, Nosworthy, De Laet, Montgomery, Ertl (Evans 71), Quinn (Slew 86,) Yeates, Cresswell, Bogdanovic.
Subs Not Used: Morgan, Britton, Taylor, Wright, Lowton.
Bookings: Jordan 29, Yeates 78.
Man of The Match: Ritchie de Laet.
Watford Line-up: Loach, A. Taylor (Hodson 71), Eustace, M. Taylor, Mariappa, Cowie, Graham, Buckley (McGinn 61), Doyley, Mutch, Sordell (Deeney 45).
Subs Not Used: Walker, Gilmartin, Bryan, Bennett.
Bookings: Eustace 47.
Scorer: Sordell 16.
Referee: Coilin Webster (Tyne & Wear).
Watford continued their impressive start to their season with a 1-0 win over United at the Lane on Saturday. Gary Speed made two enforced changes with Kyle Bartley and Leo Britton both out injured. Britton was fit enough to take a place on the substitutes bench, where he was surprisingly joined by club skipper Chris Morgan. Daniel Bogdanovic and Richard Cresswell were the two strikers in a 4-4-2 formation. Watford had the same starting eleven as began Tuesday's home game against Swansea City.
In a lively opening, Watford had the first chance when Don Cowie rifled a shot straight into the chest of Blades goalkeeper Steve Simonsen. Cowie was at it again four minutes later, ghosting in from the left flank to drive an on-target shot into Ritchie De Laet's legs after Danny Graham's low cross had been half-cleared.
Nick Montgomery and Cresswell were involved for United before Mark Yeates cut in from the right wing firing a 20 yard effort which Watford goalkeeper Scott Loach tipped over.
Moments later from a corner, Yeates’ shot was headed towards goal by Simon Jordan's header was flicked over by Lloyd Doyley. The Blades continued to have the better possession in midfield and the game was being played for most part in the visitors half, unfortunately it was not to last and Watford grabbed the lead after 16 minutes.
John Eustace collected from Doyley and sent a chipped pass down the right channel where Graham had peeled away from the languishing Nyron Nosworthy who was beaten for pace and then sent in a perfect ball from the by-line into the six yard box. Marvin Sordell read the delivery beautifully, getting across his man to stab high into the net from four yards at full stretch.
The goal knocked United back and boosted their counterpart’s confidence. The rest of the half saw nothing in the way of clear-cut opportunities for either side. But, there was one last opportunity for United as the break approached, however Loach was there to acrobatically palm away Cresswell's header back across goal from a deep cross. At the half-time break United were booed off by their frustrated fans.
Troy Deeney replaced Sordell at half-time for Watford. The Blades came out a minute before the visitors emerged from the tunnel. With the Blades committing forward with numbers and purpose after the restart, it was entirely different story in the second half, only some heroic Watford defending stood between them and an equaliser for the Blades.
Yeates crossed and just failed to find the onrushing Quinn, Bogdanovic and Cresswell. Then, Bogdanovic tried his luck from a difficult angle but his shot was just over. United's chances were falling to Bogdanovic, including on 62 minutes, when he was unmarked and got on the end of Montgomery's cross but the header, unfortunately, was straight at Loach.
The Blades were now applying more intense pressure with the backing of the Shoreham Kop and Watford were working hard to protect their lead, virtually stuck inside their own half. With 21 minutes remaining, an excellent move involving Yeates, Cresswell, Montgomery and Jean Calve resulted in Adrian Mariappa clearing just ahead of Cresswell and then Eustace was also forced to concede a corner as the Blades pilled forward.
With time running out manager Speed threw on Ched Evans as an extra attacker at the expense of a midfielder Johnny Ertl. Not until 15 minutes left did Watford have an effort at goal, a Jordon Mutch shot which deflected harmlessly into Simonsen's arms.
Doyley was next to be called upon for a last-ditch clearance, heading away Quinn's cross which looked destined for Cresswell and then, in a rare Hornets attack, Graham might have felt he should have doubled their lead when Martin Taylor headed back across goal from a Cowie free-kick. Centre back De Laet was needed to block from Deeney as United committed men forward. The Blades manager freshened up the forward line further with four minutes of normal time remaining when he handed a senior debut to Blades Academy striker Slew.
There was four minutes of added time and United were awarded a free-kick, 22 yards out for a foul on Bogdanovic but the strike from Evans struck the wall. So disappointment for the players, manager and United faithful after another frustrating game. It is hard to see exactly when the problem could lie, they had width and pace today yet still could not find the back off the net.
Blades Player Performance Ratings v. Watford: Simonsen 6, Calve 5, Jordan 6, Nosworthy 5, De Laet 7, Montgomery 7, Ertl 6, Evans 6, Quinn 6, Slew -, Yeates 7, Cresswell 6, Bogdanovic 6.
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